johnK: As always I value your experience...ole timer.
wid: Yeah it has only 5 more years of warrantee but I got the itch again. It is also 15 years old..so I figure new technology might be better...but since amp technology has been pretty much mature it doesn't mean the new amps are any better.
Thasp:
As with wires/cable I have come to the conclusion that any standard 12g is good for most people. I compared wires $30(noname) $80 (audioquest) $180 (kimber) $500 (audioquest)and come to the conclusion all sound the same. I had my fiancee do the test and she has perfect hearing based on the last doctors checkup. I have tinitis. Most exotic cables have better covering and insulation and thickness to maybe give it more durability. The only time she noticed a difference is pure silver wires.
Yes my Bryston is 250w@8ohms and 600w@4ohms but my Maggies have clipped the red light 3 times playing a track by Frederick Fennel composing with the Dallas Wind Symphony.
BBIBH:Yes I did notice a difference bettween my Pioneer Elite vs my Bryston since I have it setup on A-B. On all occassions I had people say they noticed better sonic performance using the Bryston vs the Pioneer at the same dB level using the same CDP and same speakers. If anyone is in doubt I welcome anyone to come over and listen for themselves.
kcarlile:my setup does not have that 5 sec gap. It is instantaneous because I have both signals on a pasive preamp with a toggle for A and B. So based on my findings standard Pio, yammys, Denons, NAD and Rotels even did not sound any different...going amps like Bryston, Exposure had seemingly more detail and better headroom when cranking up vs mass market amp/receivers.
Comon now if most people believed all power is the same why is the Pioneer VSX514 @100w is $275 and the Krell KSA 100 @100w is $3895. You think music coming out of that Pioneer would be exactly the same as the Krell since the consesus here deems that power is power so get one in your budget?
I guess I might need to try a Class A amp and with my regular SS A/B amp and see if the difference is only that I can warm up my dinner with the Class A amp.
