what amp/pre/pro for my Zingali 3s

Dcktr, I hate to say this but at your price range for pre-pro/amps your kinda between a hard spot and a rock. I don't know much about your speakers but I would guess that you like them a lot. I did hear that they are very unforgiving of poor recordings but with your choices in music I would guess that most of what you listen to is well recorded. This is were I think you have a problem, 80% music listening means you need a very good pre/pro which does not leave much $$ for amp choices. I would say that leaves out the outlaw pre/pro. Even if you go with a good two channel system and build hometheater into that set up (which most people do) you still need a good pre-amp of one sort or another, be it a two channel pre or a pre/pro. I am of the camp that thinks a very good pre and just a good amp will do more for the sound of your system than a very good amp and just a good pre will do and here in lies your problem,I think for $2500 your gonna have to make a choice. I don't know how good the Classe is in two channel, or what they go for used ( I could not find one for sale ). I guess if I were you and I wanted the best two channel I could get I would get a cheap HT receiver with pre outs (used) for about $500, add a good two channel amp (used) and then get the best two channel pre you can (Tubed active or a good passive would be great) and again (used)The downside to this would be a lot of boxes and wires but the upside would be the best sound and cover all your bases. The Sony would be fine also, you should be able to find it for that price I would think (new). Good luck and let us know how you make out.

Hi Dcktr, the sonic frontier would be great, I use a simple passive in my system. I would do a post asking for advice on good tube pre for this if you want to go with tube set up. If you want to go with a passive set up I would go with F.T. audio passive, Placette audio passive or the unit I use which is Bent audio transformer passive, all three are very good units. The Placette and Bent are about the same price and can be had with remote control. The F.T. audio is half the price of the other two.