2. amps-preamps
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A mistake spending too much on amplification?

I was wondering if I screwed up by spending too much money on amplification? I have been upgrading my amp/preamp for awhile now (I started with a CODA Unison, then upgraded to a McCormack DNA-125 and EE Minimax, then to a Herron pre, and now mating that with Sixpacs). And, although there are subtle improvements, I am not hearing any night/day improvements, even when I go back to the CODA. And the CODA is much cheaper!

Does this mean I outpaced my speakers? Kind of like putting a supercharged turbo engine in a car with bald tires? Speakers are VS VR2's and Soliloquy 6.3's. Anyone have a good estimation on amplification costs relative to speaker costs? Sell the better amplification; use the money to buy better speakers?
chiho
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uru975
684 posts
 
Mlauner writes "sources first no matter what your amp are." Not bad advice, and a very reasonable way to build a system. Start at the begginning and go forward.
I on the otherhand prefer to start with the best amp I can get or preamp and then work in either direction depending of what is weakest at any point. Myh view is the music is amplified right, first, and foremost the other parts can be brought into line sooner or later.
Neither approach is right or wrong just different approaches
steveaudio
331 posts
 
Do you still have both the Sixpacs, & the DNA-125? If so, you might want to keep them both given their reputations. It's puzzling that they wouldn't sound quite different from one another tho.

But I don't know your speakers, or how efficient they are, or how good they are. Or your cables, source components, etc. What.....are you trying to accomplish, sound wise?

cwlondon
1,210 posts
 
"Source first" reminds me how much I hated my Linn Sondek LP 12.

I think a much better theory is that your system will only be as good as its worst component.
newbee
4,751 posts
 
Chiho, Whether you hear differences or not, or whether the differences are large or small (to you) depends mainly on what you are trying to accomplish by changing amps and how experienced a listener you are. If you have no specific goals and only want to make your system sounds 'better' then I think Narrod's comments may be appropriate. But don't think that the differences are not there or that they are not important to many others. They can be small to Narrod perhaps but they will be to many others what floats of sinks their boat.

Not to be rude, but I would suggest that you take time out to re-evalute exactly what you are trying to accomplish apart from assembling competent components.
warnerwh
539 posts
 
Spend money on room treatments if you want to hear a huge improvement!
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