Raven Audio and Beyond...


Hello,
I'm hearing from a couple of you all about the RavenAudio product line.
I'm fairly new into listening/building a system for audio.
My current plan/aim is to build components for "rest of life" usage.  I'm not well to do and am looking into the Nighthawk and Blackhawk integrated tube amps.  
Currently, I have a Bifrost 2 Dac, Rega P2 turntable and Dynaudio X14s running out a cheap integrated Pioneer tuner/amplifier.
As I've been considering my next couple moves, Integrated Amp and upgrade in speakers, I bounce between the "first" move being either amp or speakers.
Lots of folks mention speakers first, rest after.  Since I appreciate the X14s for the limited sound, I wonder what kind of sense it makes to bump up the amp, integrate a couple subs and seek the "finish" speakers next.  After that, play with the rest of the components.

Currently, the room we listen to music in is 12' by 25', open frame ceilings that are 8.5' high.  

My questions are this:
What's your take on taking on the amplifier first, and setting up the rest after?
Am I going to notice the X14s responding well enough to help me learn more about the direction of my speaker choice later?

If I have some time before I can fully upgrade the speakers, would integrating a sub amp with the subs be a positive move?

FWIW, I plan to keep the x14s and other requisite equipment for the most part to set up/gift to others as I can.  I am interested in long-term enjoyment for music I love and a love for exploring music yet to be heard.

Thank you

mijale

You have nice speakers. They do best with more power than the Raven delivers. I know the 14s are an easier drive than the 12s were but still they are voice with solid state. They are surly capable of responding to an amp upgrade. If you are looking to upgrade speakers thereafter more power will provide for wider choices. 

So always owning top of line Surround Amps for movies and not really using the system and I have Tinnitus ringing in the ears pretty bad and really could not hear the sounds coming from the surround speakers . So reading everything I could on audio and knowing nothing but what I can hear and knowing if I go to audio sales they have rooms that will never be your living room or sound room.... So seeing Raven Audio has 45 day trial I said what the hell .. So called and talked to Dave told him my issues and the speakers I had were 25 yr old Mirage M3’s and he said they will need to go in time to match Raven Amp.. So week later a Black Hawk shows up and OMG the sound coming from this are sweeter than any sound I have ever heard....So at 4k cost with tubes and they Raven at the time were redesigning their lower line Amps including the Osprey Amp so I had more like 60 days with Amp and at very end I decided to spend the money and try the Osprey.. And I am glad I did and the higher end tubes I have installed makes the music I hear now just filled with detail in music that I never knew existed in sound tracks .. And I mean this even with Tinnitus ..And we started talking about speakers and So Raven makes very good speakers So Raven has Corvus Reference and in designing they made a few sets of 5" speakers and decided to just go with 7" speakers.. So James of Raven offered a set of 5" Corvus speakers and they arrived they produced some very nice sounds but with my living room they lacked fulness.. So I pulled the plug and they had a used set of 7inch Corvus speakers and when they arrived and I only play my music at 75db loudness with my hearing issues and my main music I listen to is Peter White for this seems to ease my ringing for a while and luv Fleetwood Mac but all I can say is Music to my Ears ,,

 And it was 2019 when this all started and 3 years later I still get amazed at the details in music I hear from this Raven System ..

I will add this that my first year with Osprey & speakers and using all Raven Cables and Bifrost Gen 5 DAC that it took me close to year to get full sound from this system..I am using 6060 Yellows in first 2 rows and Raytheon Black Ladders 50's 3rd row and now using 4 Tong Sol 5881's ...I will also say if you move 2 of the 6060 tubes in any direction the sound changes drastically that it moves detail in music so much and this is were you take the time to roll tubes to tune it to your ears and if you move the other 2 tubes all I can say is be ready for some sweet sounds when you get it set up.. And this is were the magic of tubes shine . I also will note I am using SVS SB2000 Subs ..Patience with tube rolling plays big part and rewards to your music sound

UPDATE:

After the thread started, and perspectives shared, I decided to do the following:

I couldn't shake the part where I'd not yet heard the X14s truly.  So, I picked up two REL t-5x Subs and installed.  This alone made a difference with the Pioneer.  The weight on the X14s opened up and thus more tone.

A Yamaha AS-1100 barely used became available to me.  I've found the threads here and other places regarding the Yamaha integrated amps to have a bit under the radar take on their gear.  I'd heard an AS-2200 for a short bit before and always kept their gear in the back of my mind.

Hooked up the 1100 today and, in all, definite upgrade.  The Subs are barely a week old with about 30 hours on them.  The amp is seemingly new/quite newish.  The X14s sound quite clear compared to the Pioneer with no subs. 

Looking to ride this wave for a bit.  Working on upgrading cables and smaller aspects for now.  Still looking towards building a setup I want for the long-term, but will be a bit more couple years down the line.

That is, unless something magical this way comes to kick it all in motion.

As it stands, I appreciate the helpful perspectives that came my way in regards to my initial post. 

I believe you made a good choice. The Dynaudio stand mount speakers play best with solid state amplification that can drive 4 ohm loads. Should you find yourself with a speaker that is a true 8 ohm, and 90+dB sensitive then you can consider tube amplification.