I appreciate all of your help - I went ahead and purchased the SLI80 Signature with F1 upgrades and I'm very very pleased with it.
There is one observation that I would like to make, however. I initially was running the SLI80 directly from my DAC and I fluctuated between the SET (40wpc) and Ultralinear (80wpc) modes. I liked the SET mode because it had more midrange warmth and magic, although it lacked low end slam. I found myself switching to the Ultralinear mode for songs that benefitted from extra power.
After doing this for a while, I eventually bought a TAD150 Signature pre-amp and wow! My setup has benefitted tremendously. Now I can always run the amp in SET mode and the pre-amp has added a richness to the lower midrange and low frequencies that was absent before. I've read on other forums that the Cayin A88T (a similar amp) greatly benefits from the addition of a quality pre-amp and I can agree 100%.
Here's what 6moons.com had to say about adding a pre-amp to the Cayin A88T:
"As great as the Cayin 88T sounds as an integrated amplifier, it sounds even better -- more organic, more solid and more sophisticated -- when used as a straight ahead power amplifier. That's significant. If you're using a receiver or solid-state electronics and want to upgrade to tubes and/or separates, the Cayin 88T is an excellent place to start. Replace what you've got with the Cayin as an integrated and I'll bet you'll be pleased with what you purchased. Later, you can upgrade with a first-class preamplifier."
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/cayin/a88t_2.html
Has anyone else experienced this as well?
There is one observation that I would like to make, however. I initially was running the SLI80 directly from my DAC and I fluctuated between the SET (40wpc) and Ultralinear (80wpc) modes. I liked the SET mode because it had more midrange warmth and magic, although it lacked low end slam. I found myself switching to the Ultralinear mode for songs that benefitted from extra power.
After doing this for a while, I eventually bought a TAD150 Signature pre-amp and wow! My setup has benefitted tremendously. Now I can always run the amp in SET mode and the pre-amp has added a richness to the lower midrange and low frequencies that was absent before. I've read on other forums that the Cayin A88T (a similar amp) greatly benefits from the addition of a quality pre-amp and I can agree 100%.
Here's what 6moons.com had to say about adding a pre-amp to the Cayin A88T:
"As great as the Cayin 88T sounds as an integrated amplifier, it sounds even better -- more organic, more solid and more sophisticated -- when used as a straight ahead power amplifier. That's significant. If you're using a receiver or solid-state electronics and want to upgrade to tubes and/or separates, the Cayin 88T is an excellent place to start. Replace what you've got with the Cayin as an integrated and I'll bet you'll be pleased with what you purchased. Later, you can upgrade with a first-class preamplifier."
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/cayin/a88t_2.html
Has anyone else experienced this as well?