Honestly there are many things you need to address. You have to make a legit budget and then stick to it. Since you love your speakers, go from there. To me, the two most important things are source adn speakers. There are some awesome amps on the market that won't kill you. A single ended amp will tame some of the harshness that a horn can throw. I agree with Steve at Empirical. I do have the Synchro Mesh. I use it to connect my TV (optical) and Blu Ray player to my DAC via it's BNC connection. The difference between optical to the DAC directly and through the SM is staggering. It really made that big a difference.
I'd be looking at a new DAC after the amp. No offense, but the Yamaha is just not up to speed for the system. It's a choke point right now I feel. There are some great DAC adn servers on the market right now. I am actually selling Steve's former server with the Paul Hynes power supply as I have made a tremendous upgrade (costs MUCH more too, lol). You don't need to break the bank to get great sound. You have a nice start with your speakers. Keep us up on your thoughts.
I'd be looking at a new DAC after the amp. No offense, but the Yamaha is just not up to speed for the system. It's a choke point right now I feel. There are some great DAC adn servers on the market right now. I am actually selling Steve's former server with the Paul Hynes power supply as I have made a tremendous upgrade (costs MUCH more too, lol). You don't need to break the bank to get great sound. You have a nice start with your speakers. Keep us up on your thoughts.