Upgrade B&W speakers or MArantz Receiver?


Hi,
Some serious advice required from the experts.
I have a limited budget and can upgrade either my speakers or my receiver.
Speakers B&W 601 s3....upgrade to B&W cdm 1nt ($800.00used)
Receiver MArantz sr5200..upgrade to Rotel rsx 1055 ($800 used)
OR keep both and just get an external Amp Rtoel rb980 for $ 250.00 (Will this help my currecnt set up?)

I also have a B&W cc6 center/B&W lm1 surrounds/Asw500 subwoofer. I might also be willing to just let go of surround altogether sell all this stuff and get better 2 channel stuff.What do you think?
dharub
I have to agree with steveaudio. You'll see an improvement going to the Rotel, but it won't be worth it. The speakers you have could sound GREAT with better amp and source. Of course, I am in love with the 805's. I'm afraid I have to say, hold off until you can afford a great amp. Later you can upgrade to a pre-amp with home theater pass through. This allows perfect two channel, but allows you to use the main speakers as part of the H.T. system. Use the marantz as a pre-amp until then. His recommendations are good ones. Throw in Aragon 8008, Belles hotrod in your pricerange. Add analysis plus oval 9 speaker cable- less the 200 used for 8 ft pair. Remember- You never see a Nautilus 805 in the store hooked up to a marantz cd player and receiver- start with the fundamentals and your current speakers will sound better. Good rigid stands are a help. Sorbathane or vibrapods under the cd is a great cheap tweak. Have fun.
Ps- Steveaudio and I are talking two channel amps. Use the marants for the surround. Thats why your 800 is buying a much more natural sounding front channel.
Steveaudio's advice on finding 805's used is the best for your upgrade in sound, followed by amp and preamp upgrade. After securing the Matrix 805 upgrade, which I've seen as low as $600/pair used, i'd consider getting at least another outboard amp, then a dedicated pre/pro ultimately...even by the likes of Outlaw audio.
Forget receivers! Yes, upgrading your speakers will NO DOUBT be the best sonic improvment overall. (you'll run em as "small" REGARDLESS, on your pre/receiver anyway for movies at the very very least). After that you really need to consider separates in the near future. Receivers are sonically limited to higher noise level, less channel separation, less refinement, less dynamics(even in the preamp section), etc, etc. Basically, higher end refinement of sound comes from quality separates. And quality power improves even more!
Receivers only hope for qulaity is usually a digital connnection, running speakers as "small", connected dirrectly from a DVD player and such. Still, even here most dedicated pre pro's walk all over what a receiver can do...again, even something like used Acurus Act 3 and Outlaw audio 950.
I'd stay with a receiver as a budget budget only option. Then, I'd be looking for a separates upgrade as soon as possible.
Still, yeah, as an immediate upgrade I the 805 recommendation is as solid as they come for your next step.
Good luck
Excellent...
So here is what I gather.
A good quality Amp will make even my exisiting speakers sound better BUt If I really want good sound start with the speaker upgrade...And then Add a Quality Amp(Used with my existing receiver) and eventually get a separate pre-pro.
Hopefully I can acheive this in a year or 2...
For now Iam selling my surround and center crap and on the hunt for Matrix 805...
Thanks so much guys..
CHEERS!
Yep, that's about right! Really can't go wrong from what you just summed up Dharub. good luck
Then all you have to do is learn how to set everything up and tweak for good sound!...and learn acoustics considerations as well. Soooooooo much to learn here. The room/setup/calibrating/acoustics are easily 2/3's of your performance. Enjoy