Help/advice, upgrading my vintage amplifier!


Hi there!

I'm still new on this stereo world so I'm looking some advice!
My current set up is;

Turntable; Schiit Sol.
Cartridge; Sumiko Moonstone.
Phono Preamp; Schiit Many.
Amplifier; Sansui G6000 (recapped).
Speakers; Klipsch Lascala (Bob Crites upgraded).

I love how everything sounds but I was thinking, am I going to get more out of my speakers is If I use a newer amplifier? (I have a vintage amplifier) and a different phone preamp? I was thinking in the Cambridge duo Alva preamp and the Cambridge axr100 amplifier? If someone out there want to share your experience I will appreciate it! I don't want to spend a considered amount of money and get the same results or maybe slightly better.

Thank you in advance!





erivera1990
I have been looking into tube integrated amps, what you guys think about jolida brand? What about solid state amps? Any recommendations?
I have not heard Jolida, I recommend looking at Luxman or Line Magnetic integrated amps.

You need a quiet tube amp because of your high sensitivity speakers. Rogue makes good equipment, but I don't think it would be a good match with the K-Horns due to a higher noise floor
The Jolida amps are well-made and very good value. They're not considered state-of-the-art but they are an excellent place to get an introduction to tube gear. Underwood Hi-Fi carries Jolida under their new brand name, Black Ice Audio, and is a highly recommended source for both information and gear.
You have some nice speakers, everything else is kind of entry level. 

What's your budget?  Based on your setup, it looks like vinyl is your main source?

I would avoid Jolida, I have owned one of their preamps (Fusion) and a couple of the JD9 phono stages.  They aren't built that well and are noisy compared to other components.  

I wouldn't limit yourself to tubes (although I love tubes).  While the La Scalas don't need much power, they can benefit from a more powerful amplifier.  Class D is worth considering.  Lots of power and damping for the La Scala's big woofers and the slightly rolled off top end of many Class D amps may be a blessing with the La Scala's, especially if you like to listen loud.

With the current vinyl setup you have, you're not going to experience the full benefits of a better amp/preamp.  The pieces you mentioned are probably a sideways move at best.

If you're happy with how things sound and only have a few hundred dollars in your budget, don't spend anything.  Be happy with what you have and don't waste your money making a sideways move.
The Rogue Sphinx integrated amp would be a considerable upgrade over the Sansui! It has a tube front end/preamp and a 100wpc Class D output stage. Plenty of power and excellent damping factor for bass! Herb Reichert liked it a lot in his review for Stereophile. Plus it is USA-made - unlike Jolida/Black Ice!