Where to go from here?

video. I'm currently grooving to a Topping M50 into a E50 (both on LPS), balanced into a PA 5. All for ~ $750. If you have insufficient files to play substitute a Ras Pi streamer instead. I stick with the M50 because ComCrap is often lights out around here (twice yesterday.) Over 5 streamers.

Night and daylight compared to the AVR I still use for video and surround.

I'm usually inspired enough by it to forget turning on the 300 wpc into 6ft ESLs that sit next to it.

Unless you really want to stick $14,000 on a shelf, then go for it

@davekuyt11

Are you targeting an integrated (preamp+amp and sometimes a DAC) or are you targeting separates?

Integrated offers the best bang/buck saving on caseworks and cables, but separates perform better and allow for future incremental upgrades.

If an integrated with a DAC, I suggest a Hegel H390 w a DAC as a safe bet. Plenty of positive reviews including the DAC . The H590 is only marginally better, maybe not worth the increased price.

That is all so helpful. Really. I just love this hobby and use my music room a lot. Therefore I would like to shoot for a substantial outcome over an incremental one. I am not against  integrated. I heard the mohican cd player from hegel and also a mcintosh integrated. Both systems were impressive but different. Hegel was detailed and euphoric. Vocals on mcintosh were perfect. Not sure what i would like best long term. I was hoping to get a quality dac with volume and network and go xlr straight to the amp. Less equipment. Just a reference dac, amp and speaker. It sounds lile everyone is suggesting a quality integrated or seperates that includes a dac and get a reference dac at a later time.  Are the volume and streaming on reference dacs like a weiss 501 or mola mola not the same as a seperate streamer and a good integrated or preamp volume?

OP,

I think you will find the vast majority of audiophiles still require/use a preamplifier, even if they do not have an analog end. The straight from source to amp requires equipment that is exceptional and compatible. My guess is 90%+ have not been able to pull it off and have gone back to preamps. Unless, you are incredibly experienced and willing to swap all of your electronics I would not try it. You are likely to end up with dry analytical sounding sound.

The really important decision here is the kind of sound you are looking for. Extremely detailed, or detailed and musical. Let me put my 2 cents in here. You probably want musical… tremendous details sound with slam like a great thing… but it frequently lacks the emotional connection most folks actually crave.

As far as keeping the Denon. Ok. But mixing HT and audio generally kills the audio side. Compromise is on the side of audio, They have two different objectives. If there is any possibility of separating the functions… I would recommend it. I would rather have a tiny separate room for my audio system then be able to spend 5 times more and combine them. I have heard incredible systems in rooms the size of a closet and horrible combined HT / audio systems costing many times more.