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New Amp Choice

I am not sure what is left for a tangible improvement, but I am looking at trying at least one additional amp. I stared with high end receivers, but then bough a McIntosh MA7900 nearly 4 years ago along with Golden Ear Triton Ones. I find the the sound quite good though I had a low end Pioneer receiver once with some surround type Bose speakers, hisses noted, and they had a quality off whipping the sound while moving around me that I really liked. My current system which I described, is much cleaner and detailed, but there was an enveloping aspect that I still miss. Maybe a new amp will not supply any of this as it is a quality of the speaker, but I wondered if a tube amp has such a quality. I may purchase a pair of Bose 301's just to test, but I am still minded to try another higher end amp and to be clear while I likded that aspect of the Bose my current setup is in most regards more pleasing.

The contenders are:

Pass Labs Int-250
Musical Fidelity M8xi
Line Magnetic  LM-845IA   
Line Magnetic LM-845 Premium

The Luxman 509x was of interest, but they gimped the headphone output. 

nick63
perkadin's avatar
perkadin
286 posts
 
Tubes may change the sound in some ways but it won’t sound like and old pair of acoustimass speakers.  If you liked the 301’s buy a used pair off eBay for peanuts. Or maybe try some vintage 901’s.  Bose didn’t make detailed speakers back in the day but they were fun and musical. 
elliottbnewcombjr
5,330 posts
 
It's NOT the 2 channel equipment.

It's the speakers, their sound distribution, combined with content with both strong channel separation and sound effects.

And the space: it's proportions, live/dull characteristic, parallel and/or non-parallel surfaces

You Liked the Bose sound!

I refer to Bose, i.e. Bose 901's 'Stereo Everywhere'. Not for me, but many like my neighbor, his party guests, and you love it.

I suggest you find nice pair of vintage Bose, 901's, 301's  that offer returns and try them.

btw, some vintage equipment offered a 'derived' center channel, you might like a 3rd speaker. 


reubent
6,976 posts
 
Nick,

When you had the receiver and the "surround type Bose speakers", did you have a pair of stereo speakers, or did you have multi-channel surround speakers, i.e. 5.1 surround? Was it a HT receiver?
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
bose + sonos 

for the win!!!  
thecarpathian
4,350 posts
 
Thanks for the response. I will find a forum with hopefully greater input.
Waited a whole 3.5 hours.
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