Pettyfevesk, a couple of us sure don't like your Cardas cables, huh? :-) I've never heard any so have NO opinion on Cardas. I do believe that improvements in pieces of a system are cumulative, and mine continues to improve its transparency as I improve pieces, including IC cables to Sonic Craft's best Neotec UPOCC-conductor cable and Xhadox silver-conductor RCAs. Speakercables on the 3 front channels are now a 6-conductor braid of solid-conductor Neotec UPOCC silver, and I wouldn't go back for lots of money.
On poweramps and power differences, I tend to agree that probably the 100-Watt amps will make little difference in headroom and 'ease' compared with the 60W. versions, as the 100s have only 2-1/4 dB more power, while the 160s have 4-1/4 dB more power than the 60s.
I hope whatever you do makes you happy.
BTW, it's 'preamp' and not 'pre-amp', just as it's 'preamplifier' and not 'pre-amplifier'. :-)
.
On poweramps and power differences, I tend to agree that probably the 100-Watt amps will make little difference in headroom and 'ease' compared with the 60W. versions, as the 100s have only 2-1/4 dB more power, while the 160s have 4-1/4 dB more power than the 60s.
I hope whatever you do makes you happy.
BTW, it's 'preamp' and not 'pre-amp', just as it's 'preamplifier' and not 'pre-amplifier'. :-)
.