Which 5 ch Amp for Home Theater?

For a smooth topend, the Classe cav75 or better Classe cav150. The cav150 is a great sounding amp for both music/video. The 75 or 150 will blow that Marantz away!

I use a Krell KAV-1500, which is 5x300watts/channel. It is a bit pricy. However, it is probably the best sounding multichannel amp I have heard/used.

If you don't mind buying a used amp, a Krell KAV-500 is a great amp at 5x100watts/channel. A used one sells for around $1,800 to $2,500. You might want to give it a try.

Another great multi-channel amp that I like for price/value is Bryston 9B-ST, a 5x120watts/channel. Someone in this thread has already suggested to you.

Lastly, this is probably one of the great kept secrets. You might want to look at a JBL Synthesis 650 amp. It is the same exact amp as the Bryston 9B-ST, except under a JBL label. Bryston makes this amp for JBL under its high-end Synthesis home theater systems. I have seen a used one a couple of times within the past month on eBay and Audiogon sell for around $700 to $750 -- way underpriced in my view because of its JBL label.

Hi Rowidick,
I am auditioning for a pre/pro/amp comb for my NHT HT setup as well. Which pre/pro are you using with the NHTs?

If you can find it discounted, the Musical Fidelity HT600 can easily withstand comparison to Classe or Krell.

McCormack was coming out with a 5-channel amp, but I'm not sure it's out yet. If it's out it'll probably give just about anything in the price range a run for the money and it should work wonders with your NHTs. Best of luck.

Tim