Advice on a preamp

Your Monitor Audio speakers are a fairly benign load on paper (90db @4 ohms) and sound transparent and quite resolving, so you don’t need a massively powerful amp, but the PL300’s need some tube-like liquidity & musicality. So i’m going to throw a curve ball at you and suggest you would get a bigger gain by selling your current amps & upgrading to a high end integrated amp such as a Pass Labs INT-250 or a 2nd hand Vitus SIA-025. Though good 2nd hand examples of the Vitus are rare on the used market.

The upshot is with one less component, you could use the savings to invest elsewhere in your system such as better cables or isolation.

What are you expecting from the upgrade?

Great question. A cleaner more detailed sound, better bass control, more refined treble and improved soundstage. An all around more 'live' or natural sound. I did originally have an Opera 100w tube amp but felt it was lacking in power and a bit too warm.

Thanks for your post Melbguy1. I agree with your observations re my current gear and have to say you have recommended some serious kit. I have never come across Vitus in NZ but we have some Pass Labs dealers so will look into this. Not sure my budget (wife) will stretch that far though!!!

YW Shamus. The Pass INT-250 is $12kUS. I crunched some numbers & reckon if you sold your current amps & used up your max budget you would be close. I think the Pass will give you all the qualities you’re looking for & would be a killer amp. The Vitus would have a more refined/transparent top end, but the INT-250 would have a bit more power/control.