... should I Buy a New Integrated, or upgrade/update/rewire my existing...


Simple question:

If I want more power I go for a New Integrated: thinking about Rowland Continnum S3 (plenty of power; does it have a pre-ou/main in?)... Not cheap - but a Final-kind-of-purchase, and live out life with it. ANy lower cost suggestions - either vintage or newer, but only stuff you listen to daily please...

Or if not: take my existing Integrated - Onkyo A7 - and upgrade the internal wiring, update whatever the tech thinks will make a sonic improvement, and replace the power cord (not detachable) with a better new direct-wired in one...

Thoughts please...
justvintagestuff

Well here is a comparison you don't see everyday - going from a 65 wpc vintage integrated to a $10K modern amp that puts out 400 wpc.  And doubles down to 800 wpc into 4 ohms.

I think the answer to this question is what speakers do you intend on driving that you would even need the Continuum 2?  Also, while I doubt there are any upgrades you can do to your Onkyo A7 to remotely put it in the same league as the Continuum, depending on the speakers you have, you may find the Onkyo is all you need. 

Again, it comes down to speakers as an amps first duty is to properly drive a pair of speakers.



Ah yes, the timeless Onkyo vs. Rowland debate ;).  If you are considering the price range of the Rowland, I would imagine there are a lot of options, including separates.  Paraneer is right on the money - depending your speakers you could go for anything form a flea watt SET to massive SS mono blocks.  More specificity would help people give you more accurate recommendations.

Best, Scott
No doubt that wise modification choices can improve the sound quality of your Onkyo amplifier but only to a certain point. As has been mentioned the speaker plays a major role. I would ask what is your ultimate objective? If you’re willing to spend up to 10 K dollars for an integrated  amplifier you have a multitude of wonderful choices available to you. What type of music do you listen to most often? With proper planning and execution you can create a superb system. The key is to define what you really want. There's a lot of excellent sounding components available out there. 
Charles,