Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Pre-Amp vs. Amp

Hi rdwarn,

All the responses here are worthy. I'd predict very marginal improvements at best, if indeed they'd be audible at all. You'd hear far greater improvements by adding a subwoofer to use with your M60s, or adding additional channels for multichannel music playback. Only when power requirements are really huge--big rooms, real-life playback levels--do separate power amplifiers come into their own. These comments only apply to SS amps, not tube gear, which introduces all kinds of wonky variables to the equation, including generous amounts of even-order harmonic distortion, which some enthusiasts like. It can add a mushy, soft "full" quality to reproduced music, as well as audible variations in frequency response that may or may not be flattering.

Regards,

Thank you Alan and everyone else for the feedback. Looks like maybe I'll channel the money for the seperates into a good sub-woofer.

I would say it depends on what you're looking for. If you're satisfied with home theater stuff but looking for more detail and dynamics from stereo music, then invest in a good CD player, good main speakers, and possibly a good amp.

But I agree that the amp may only provide a subtle enhancement; in my view, the DAC on your CD player is very important. If your CD source is getting re-digitized at the receiver, then re-DAC'd, then you are losing significant sound quality.

If you're looking for surround sound or more impact with your movies, then surround speakers or subwoofers are a good investment. There is always a balance between sound quality, sound quantity (no. channels), volume, and price. My priorities were mostly on stereo at first. Now I have just made some horizontal upgrades to go with surround sound (increasing quantity but not quality). Stereophiles love to take the vertical steps up in sound quality.

have fun,
Cooper