New or Used Amplifier


I put together my Krell 20i CD player, YBA 2 Pre & amp with Genesis V speakers in the mid 90s’ and am still very happy with it so I kept away from the equipment shops.

Now adding HT so I will need 2 more amp along with misc equipment. I know major advances have been made in amplifiers in the past 20 years, but if you had around $3,000 to invest in an amplifier would you buy new or used?
joe11554
Your in-wall installation (asssumed so) is going to have to be fire rated speaker cable or your insurance policy exclusion clauses be come an issue.

Because

(I) it is the just the rears and surrounds on the long runs, AND
(II) you are using a hi-quality build amp to drive them,

the BELDEN line (a range of quality and gauges) will serve very nicely IMO. I used them to surprisingly good results on the advice of the Dealer for long in-wall runs.

Alternatively I wired the next room with Van Den Hul.... more expensive but I did not see any improvement over the cheaper Belden .

Center channel .... a different story here: a hi-quality speaker cable required to match you hi-quality LF and RF cables is strongly suggested to aid in getting that seamless soundstage across the fronts. Don't cheap it here.

ICs: I started the HT expansion journey with NORDOST FREYs that I still have for L-F 2 channel. I then went to NORDOST HEIMDALLs for all of the the centre, rears and surrounds.

Good ... you betcha ..... BUT ..... the AVP had the usual cheap stamped nmtal very crowded back panel and comparative cheap usual connectors that made the locking WBT RCAS on the ICs a big hindrance.

I went with ATLAS All-CU Navigators and then to REGA COUPLE ICs. The REGAs are the Goliath killers and for conveying the purely manufactured signal in the rears and surrounds. they are my choice as superior top performance at a good price.

Their performance is way above its weight class and the Neutrik Profi RCA connectors are outstanding and arguably on par (at least) with any of the WBTs for this selected performance criteria ,

The centre channel IC is still NORDOST to match the LF and RF.
Thanks AKG_ca

I will check out the Belden cables, do you have a suggestion on model that worked for you. I am already looking for YBA Diamond speaker cable for center channel.

Also saw comments that MIT Shotgun 3 was a good cable with a YBA amp but with different speakers.

In case I do not like the YBA 3 channel amp, has anyone heard the YBA Passion 600 vs the YBA1 amps. YBA1 is classic YBA but I saw some good reviews on Passion 600. Can anyone provide a comparison?
Thanks
Go to TAKEFIVEAUDIO.COM , send them an email and get the Belden vs ?? Speaker cable choices straight goods right from the quality parts dealer that I used.

He will ask you more details about your gear, your room, other factors etc. and he can provide a much better choice(s) option(s).