Anthem 225 vs Parasound A21 vs Emotiva Xpa 7 Gen 2


Hey guys, I am looking for a very detailed sounding amp for Sacd playback.I am not interested in power output  ,just smooth natural sound.These are my choices so far. Any input? alternates were Cambridge Azur 851 and Halo A21 and Audio Research 150.2.Thanks
mancub1
I'd have to agree with the crap comment.  I tried an Oppo 95 direct to Halo A21, and it was not good.  You need a pre amp to buffer between the two.  An integrated amp would be a good option here as it would be comparatively cheaper than separates.  


Thanks everyone.I am just buying one peice at a time,my budget is $2500 and I have been looking at the Parasound integrated amp also.But mainly I am interested in mostly any power nice amp within this range.I will be looking into pre/pros last.I am using the Emotive XPA 7 gen 2 and Marantz MM7055. I will be using the new amp to power a pair of Infinity Sigmas on fronts.I am using Infinity Kappa 9.1  for rear surround,Definitive BP2000 for back surround,Canton Vento 809dc for centers,Magnepan MMG for rear height and Mirage 0mni for front height I have been using the Marantz AV7702 I have not had just a 2 channel before and want to go that route for SACD 2 channel listening..Thanks everyone.
Hey Guys, Thanks again.This is my fist post,I don't know how to reply to a persons input and unsure if I am doing this right.
Mancub1 - just wondering from your last post "what kind of music system you are trying to build"? A home Theater add on amplifier or a two-channel stereo rig? On the one hand, you had mentioned sacd playback and later described many speakers of different types and brands paired with a home Theater receiver? Are you trying to build a nice sounding two-channel audio system with an integrated amp (such as the Parasound Halo integrated) or a build an audio system with power amp for your Infinty Sigma speakers? If you are augmenting your Home Theater system I can suggest that your HT system can be improved by using like speakers/brands with the same drivers for tonal coherence. As it stands now, you have Infinity, Def Tech, Canton and Magnepan. Not trying to criticize but these speakers are presenting different loads to your receiver and when listening to a movie with a particular sound (maybe a helicopter flying by) the sound will change as it moves from one speaker type to another.
If you are looking at a dedicated music system your choice of the Parasound is a good one for a versatile integrated amp. You can add a digital front end, such as a music streamer or CD player, and add an analog component, such as a turntable. The Parasound has an ample power supply too. The DAC in the Parasound is very good, the phono section is very good and the headphone section is top notch. If you are only interested in going digital and are not adding a turntable, you can find a really good amp and add a music server with a good built in DAC. I am running a Parasound A21 and have connected a Bluesound Node 2 as a preamp/processor directly without the need of a preamp. Sound is clear, neutral and powerful enough to drive most speakers. I have hundreds of hi-resolution files/albums on an external hard drive which can be accessed by the Node 2 and I can play Spotify or Tidal via my IPad or IPhone as my stereo controller. You could try the MQA files on Tidal which sound terrific.
Thanks,Right now I am just looking for a good 2 channel amp for Hi-rez playback.I am using all my resources {older] speakers for home theater in the meantime,I will fine tune all that at a later date.Everytime I get new speakers I end up placing my old pair where ever they will fit.LOL