More watts or better power ?


Hello, I am currently running a PS Audio BHK Preamp, which has a tube input stage, to a Pass Labs XA25, Class A (50watts at 4 ohms) power Amp, into a pair of Sonus Faber Minima Amator II bookshelf speakers. My system sounds very good, and at 4ohms, I have 50 watts of power to my speakers, which is on the lower end of their rating.

What would be a better investment (most bang for the buck) into the system? Replace the XA25 with a higher watt amp (PS Audio BHK 250?), or spend the same money on a power conditioner (PS Audio Power Plant II?) Or upgrade the Minima Amator (which are sounding very good) to another set of speakers.

The system is in my bedroom, I have a very small house, hence the smaller Sonus Faber Speakers. I have beenplaying around with an SVS micro sub as well.

Other system parts, Clear Audio Concept/ Concept MC, Pass Labs XP15, Little Green Roon Server, Schitt Yiggi, and a Luxman MQ 88 Tube amp in rotation.

Appreciate your input
Mark O





128x128marktheshark
You say you have a small house and the system is in a bedroom, so I'm going to assume a smallish bedroom.  You have a lot of equipment in a small room.  Can you provide a picture?  Why not tidy things up an get an integrated amp with built-in digital and phono?  To match your current setup it's going to be expensive, something like CH, Gryphon or ASR.  Think about it.
And because I have to run my speaker cables down into the basement and then up on the other side of the room (20' - 25') I have not invested in high end speaker cables.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

For the money your best single investment would be shorten the cable runs and use a lot better cable.  You can do what your doing just fine.

The difference in SQ between 1/2  meter and 8 meters is really not that noticeable with so so cable. BUT with any type of GOOD cable, it's a big difference.

1/2 meter of copper zip cord vs 8 meters of high quality woven 24 conductor, (silver over copper, OCC copper clad) cable. I KNOW there is a big difference in sound quality.

One step closer and a lot less money is 1 - 3 meter high quality speaker cable vs the 8 meters of cable you're using..

I always thought I can't stand seeing cabling running everywhere. After the eye opening experience 40 years ago, I change my mind. I used good cables and short runs because I had to at the time.. Working on the house.  From then on everything under 10 feet, unless it was a bass bandpass or a sub.. It's the difference in mid fi vs hi fi yet the same exact gear...

I chose to move the gear and planned that way from then on.. Crazy thing that is what led to a 10,000lb (24"x18"x18ft) slab at one end of a bedroom, that is just now being converted 39 years later to one of two sound room this one with built traps and 3 foot cable runs. That would have cost me 10k now. It was 250.00 back them. 2-3 yards of concrete and rebar.

HT cable length, who cares? It's a sound effect deal anyways.. 

Regards
Thanks Oldhvymech, I posted a picture above. I can't run the cables in front of the doorway. But I do agree, maybe spend the money and get 25' of better quality speaker cable.