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HI-FI NEWBIE NEEDS HELP!

I am new to the higher end of music listening, actually I haven’t started the listening part yet. I have just purchased an Emotiva XSP-1 pre and a pair of Magnepan 1.7i’s. My listening room is 14x14 but one wall is not closed off completely and there is an additional open space connected that is 8x9. My budget has been unexpectedly diminished more by having to buy new connectors and speakers cables. I just assumed I would be able to use my old RCA connectors and my 50’ spool of speaker wire I bought from Radio Shack 25 years ago. I will pause while you laugh....Anyway, the jist of it is is that I’ve got $2500 left for an amp. I need advice on what would be good for my setup? What would last the next 25 years, as I am a poor man with expensive tastes and will probably not be able to make any further upgrades. Would something used and older be out of date technically in 10-15 years? Could I consider something new that would be adequate for that price point? Should I go mono or two channel? Thank you for your consideration and reply.
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willemj
1,036 posts
 
cleeds, you are so tiresome in your deliberate misrepresentation of what I say.
1 It was suggested that I think everything sounds the same.
2 My answer was that this may be true in the case of electronics if some conditions are met. But those conditions do matter, and I have repeatedly stated them here. I have also repeatedly backed them up with emperical evidence. If you have empirical evidence to the contrary, you are welcome to present it.
3 The other part of my answer was that speakers and room interaction produce far from perfect results. I do not think that is controversial.
willemj
1,036 posts
 
noromance, that then would be the distortion level that humans cannot hear. Indeed, there is enough research that we can tolerate or not even discern quite high levels of distortion.
My question was, however, how resolution is lost if it is not by such distortion?
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cleeds
5,943 posts
 
willemj0
cleeds, you are so tiresome in your deliberate misrepresentation of what I say.
If you find my posts tiresome, don't read them. But when you make absurd claims - such as those with whom you disagree believe in magic - please expect to be challenged. It goes with the territory you've staked out as yours.
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noromance's avatar
noromance
9,764 posts
 
For a start, odd harmonic distortion present in some systems is more discernible while high levels of even order HD are less offensive.
As far as losing information, let’s assume a straight wire with gain. Now, electronically, consider the hundreds of PN junctions in a digital system compared to a non-digital system. Then the actual ADC/DAC conversion processes? Digital amplifiers? The replication losses changing formats? SMPS power?
If you take a direct to analogue recording and digitize it, you will lose information due to losses inherent in the process. Of course, remastering can add in subtle delays and effects to enhance the sound but it is not the same as the precious original. Again, in other words, once you subject the original signal to interference (pun intended), you lose data.
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