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 Would something used and older be out of date technically in 10-15 years?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.
widespreadpanic
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IMO the scientific audiophiles among us seemed to have missed an essential point in relying on low distortion or measures of human hearing.  The goal, ultimately, is not accuracy.   Accurate reproduction is impossible.  Reproduction of what?  The instruments?  The engineers’ concept of the bands sound?  The microphone manufacturers concept?
it seems to me what many if not most of us are seeking is the maximum satisfaction with the sound of a system we’ve chosen and assembled with any and all of the elements we deem effective. 
This may or may not coincide with ‘accuracy’.  Whether it does is irrelevant to anyone but the individual audiophile. 
In 40 years I have never heard two major components that sounded identical.  To me.  
Btw. I’ve blind demo’d ic’s and speaker wire for many friends and not had a single one fail to hear some difference... which they preferred...now that’s something else entirely. 
lwal22
IMO the scientific audiophiles among us seemed to have missed an essential point in relying on low distortion or measures of human hearing ...
It seems to me that most of the audiophiles here who claim to be scientists are nothing of the sort. They typically offer data only  collected by others; they don't confirm the data or results in their own tests. At the same time, they demand data from anyone with whom they disagree, and label them "faith-based" audiophiles or believers in magic. Meanwhile, huge numbers of audiophiles testify to what they hear - such as differences between amplifiers - that the "scientists" can't explain other than to point to things such as the very confirmation bias to which the "scientists" are obviously vulnerable. If you apply Occam's razor, it's pretty easy to ascertain the truth here.

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" 50’ spool of speaker wire I bought from Radio Shack 25 years ago. I will pause while you laugh"

I ain't laughing. Until a few weeks ago I was using Auvio Square Parallel Premium 12 AWG Speaker cable I picked up at Radio Shack for $0.48/ft. It's really good stuff, 99.95 OFC and half the strands are silver coated. I finally gave in to curiosity and replaced them with some $1,500 cables that I got for less than $100. I am very happy I didn't spend more. But that's me.