Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Need advice for new amp

Hello, all. I'm a fairly new Axiom owner and am posting to the forum for the first time.

I purchased a pair of M60s in February 2012. They sound great even running through my old, but trusty, 1992 Pioneer VSX-401. While the receiver is adequate, it's time to update to something with HDMI capabilities.

My original intention was to update to a mid-range receiver with pre-outs (e.g., Onkyo TX-NR818), giving me the option to add an amp at a later date. (Using a pre/pro and amp was an ideal solution, but I didn't think there was anything within my budget.) Then I found the Emotiva UMC-200 several days ago. I think this pre/pro is well suited for my use case and allows me the opportunity to use AV separates, which I see as ideal.

Now for the amp question: I'm considering the Axiom ADA-1000 2 ch. and Emotiva XPA-200. The Axiom is a $500+ premium in price. I understand the Axiom will be much more efficient. Other than that, is there anything else I'll gain for the extra cost?

Thanks for your time.