looking for a warm ss amp....

I'll restate what I said earlier.

Try to find a used McCormack DNA 0.5 or DNA1 for under $800. They come up for sale very often, and they are outstanding amps! Power, finesse and some warmth.

From what I can tell, you've said nothing about using this setup for home theater. If this will be used in a two channel system only, the best thing you can do is to dump the Denon. Any Denon! You can get a $10,000 amp and it won't sound good with the Denon ahead of it in the chain.

You've given a budget of $1000 to $1300 for a preamp and amp. For $400-$650 you can get an Audible Illusions L1 or 2D preamp, an Audio Research LS1 or LS7 preamp for $500-650. The McCormack DNA 0.5 or DNA1 solid state amps are in the $650-800 range.

Keep the Signal cables and don't worry about spending on anything more expensive. Going to biwire speaker cables at this time wasn't necessary, but since you have them. stand pat with them.

For now, keep it simple and affordable. Good luck!

I'm surprised nobody mentioned NAD. All NAD amps I've heard were on the warm side of neutral, and they have some good high-power power amps for around $500. For under $500 you could get a used one and if it doesn't solve your problem, resell it for little or no loss.
Perceived brightness can also be caused by a lack of power in the amp (particularly if the amp lacks current and the speakers have dips in the impedance curve at low frequencies) and the NAD power amps have current to spare.

I'm sorry you were lead astray over cables. IMHO there's far too much hype and hyperbole regarding cables. Cables can be the icing on the cake of a good system but will not rescue a fundamentally unbalanced system.

Fishcall... the Plinius integrated can be had used for what you have budgeted, esp. if you don't go for the mkII model. I would agree with Seandtaylor99 about NAD. I've been happy with the NAD equipment I've had in the past. Their new BEE series of integrateds is supposed to be very good.

Gunbei-
do you think that the mccormack dna 0.5 or dna 1 have enough power to drive the paradigm studio 60 speakers? i am finding that the denon 3802's 110wpc isn't enough to make this speakers sing. i like to listen to my music loud. and i will use the system for movies as well just not as much so i will need something to do dolby digital, etc. i was hoping to use the denon for that but it sounds like from the above posts that the denon's preamp section will still keep me from what i am looking for.

Hi Fishcall,

I believe the DNA 0.5 is rated at 100wpc and the DNA 1 at 185wpc, so I'm pretty sure the either McCormack can drive the Paradigms quite well.

The 3802 is designed to drive multiple speakers for a home theater. Many more compromises have been made in its design in order to accomplish this. A good two channel amp, the McCormack just being one example, is made with less compromises and designed to drive just two channels. Without going into detail they really are worlds apart.

Please don't think a McCormack is the only amp that might help you achieve your goal. Although I've never owned one, I've heard them and have been impressed. It just seems to be a very good candidate within your budget. Plus, there are many happy past and present McCormack users here on Audiogon.

The Plinius 8200 integrated is also a very suggestion. Its rated at 175wpc and if it's like any of the bigger Plinius amps I've heard, it's very smooth, powerful and has a touch of warmth. It combines the preamp and amp into one chassis and would save space over having separate components.

Either of these would be a big step over the Denon. If the 3802 is sonically similar to my friend's 5700 I remember it being a bit dry and thin sounding overall. It wasn't very dynamic either.

I can understand your hesitation to spending all this cash on gear you've never heard, especially if want to retain HT capability. I tried doing the same five years ago and found that I couldn't be satisfied with an all in one system. I eventually started a second stand alone two channel system.

Whatever you do, don't jump into anything right away. Do more research and save enough money to make a BIG step which will hopefully also be a noticeably improved one.

Good luck.