Power Amp/Pre-Amp

With a $4000 budget, you have a lot of good choices. You might start by considering the Bryston BP-25 preamp and Bryston 4B-ST. Both can be purchased discounted for about $3300. If you are interested, drop me a personal E-mail and I will give you the name of an Internet-based dealer that has good prices. (I have bought several items from him, and he is very prompt and professional.)

If you stick to solid state gear, you should also look at Rotel, Adcom, Aragon, B&K, and Musical Fidelity (sold by the Audio Advisor).

Go high end. If you dont now you will later and have to sell what you just bought take a loss and invest once again. Buy a Mark Levinson 331 power amp for about 2,500 used list was 5,000 and buy a Mark Levinson 38 Preamp for about 1,700 used, list was 4,000 That will blow your mind trust me I have been there. And Levinson Is the best company I had ever delt with. Good luck if you need more help please call me.

I really like my Musical Fidelity A3CR Pre/Power combo, they are beautful sounding, and you'll still have money left over for a good DAC all of that together and you will be at a new level.

Blue Circle makes excellent sounding amps and pre-amps.
;)

I second the Bryston, second the Blue Circle. Also try Simaudio Moon amp/pre, and McCormack (either the new style or the old). You might also want to look into Audio Research. Don't know about the Musical Fidelity, but undestand it's the big value play. Proceed amps are worth a look too. And of course, there's always Classe.

A resource to look at is Audioreview.com's pages where you will find lots of amp/pre reviews. If already initiated, ignore the suggestion. If unitiated, I urge extreme caution, everything can't be 5 stars, and the truly objective report is the exception rather than the rule. Overall the mood is 'I-listened-to-it-sounded-unbelievable-can't-do-better-for-the-money!' (drunk from hookupitus).

I respectfully disagree somewhat from the implication above you're in need, possibly, of another DAC, as that CD player does digital about as well as any unless you are aiming for the outer reaches of the audio solar system. Certainly anything can be improved upon, but you might just as well be happy on the front end.
Enjoy the search.
Chris

I have to also agree with Lev335. Go with high end if you can. If you can go with Levinson equipment, you will never regret it. Almost everything you find used will be in excellent condition. I have had to deal with the company a couple of times on warranty issues. They have always been great, and very prompt with their repairs. I own a 380 preamp, which I purchased new, and two 332 amps biamped, which I purchased used in great shape, running through Revel F30's, which is also a Madrigal (Levinson) company.

Thank you all for your advice. Several of the names mentioned were on my list, but others were not. My next challenge will be to see whats available locally. My budget has just been sidetracked by a bamboo fly rod. This is just as well as I can now continue the search and begin some auditions without the risk of an impulse buy. I have one further question. One of my complaints about my current system is its lack of fullness at lower volumes. Does this eliminate or strengthen any of the recommended components? I assume not at the quality we're discussing but thought I should ask.
Again, thanks. This has been very helpful.

As I continue to think through this upgrading process, I find myself with a chicken and egg question. Since I currently have an integrated amp, I will need to audition both pre-amps and power amps. I can't figure out how to make solid comparisons if both componants are constantly changing. Short of finding someone to lend me one componant for an extended period (and I can't think of anyone who can do this, I have two choices. I can buy one componant without an in-home audition and use it to audition the other or buy a "cheap" componant for the same purpose. Any thoughts would be appreciated - including which componant it makes the most sense to take a risk on.

i have excellent results w/a melos music-director preamp, & a pair of electrocompaniet aw60ftt's, run in a wertically-biamped. set-up. ewe should be able to find these used for ~$4k, or perhaps less. if ya don't need/want a bi-amp set-up, the look for an electrocompaniet aw120, or an aw250. the melos pre, imo, is competitive w/any pre currently awailable, & will allow ewe to postpone any digital upgrades until the next software format is firmly entrenched in the marketplace! ;~)

good luck, doug s., mite sell my electro amps if i can find a pair of $10k melos toob-amps used, that i can afford... :>)