Used versus new
Chosing a new power and pre amp is tuning out to be more complicated than I thought. I guess I am leaning toward new for a few reasons, mainly my wife prefering not to buy used. For me as well, there's something about sending a check for $5k to a guy in NY I don't even know! Kind of makes me very nervous! The extra money spent may help me sleep better. "Interim" could be five years for all I know. I have a 13 year old who I need to put through school, plus saving for retirement . . . you know the stuff us 50 plus people have to deal with! I have a budget for this, but I started this project as home theater with $5,000 and ended up with a pair of Summits, and the need for new electronics. I am very happy with the Summits even being driven through the old Hafler gear. I can't wait for upgraded power/pre amps!
Back to audio . . . .
I'd also like to support the local dealer who sold me the Summits too, within reason. They are offering some nice discounts to me. I'm most interested in a couple of lines they have, those being Cary and BAT. I'm wondering how those two pair up with each other. I have the SLP-03 as a demo right now and am very impressed with it. They may be bringing in the SLP-05 when the Cary rep visits next week, along with a pair of the CAD 500 mono blocks. Seems like overkill on power though for the Summits.
I also listed to the ARC REF 3 at another dealer in town. ZERO discount from list. Did you say $10K and no discount? YIKES!
The BAT 6200 looks to be a possibility that "sounds" intriguing to me on paper and has had great reviews over the years. Made Stereophile's recent best of class multichannel amp. Although I'm not thinking HT, I am looking for a 90's piece of equipment called a PHASEAROUND by fineline Audio, now defunct. Long story short, it takes out of phase info and sends it to the preamp and the to two rear speakers. No time delay here, just added (mono?) ambient information in real time. This may be a mortal audio sin, but hey, I remember my first "time delay" experience in the early 90's on a piece of ADS equipment, and I loved what that did to the FRONT sound stage. I never even heard the rear speakers we had just sitting on the floor in the back. That really added to my enjoyment of the recording. HUGE realistic sound stage. There is a gut on Audiogon using this set up with Cary gear. I only bring this up because I could add two more channels to the BAT 6200 later and still have one pice of, albeit heavy equipment.
So thinking of the Cary SLP-03 or SLP-05 with the BAT 6200. Seems to me the tube pre amp with the dynamics and power of the BAT would make a good match . . . but then what do I know?! Also was thinking of the Parasound A21 as the "interim" power amp with one of the Cary pre amps.
I'm to the point where hearing this in your home is THE only way to go. I just don't much satisfaction of listening to gear at a dealer's place. There are WAY TOO MANY variables.
Wears me out just thinking about this. But, I have to get some new elecrtonics before the replacement Summits arrive. That's another story, but not imprtant right now. Just know I have to start breaking in a new pair soon. It's amazing how much they open up agter about 70 hours or so!
I yearn for the day I can actually sit down and enjoy the music!! Hopefully soon!
JM
I don't understand your "interim moves" at all. Are you saying that you'd like to purchase new equipments to be used as temporary solutions until you can find something better? If temporary, why pay the overhead of new equipment to start with? There are other musical amplifiers on the used market for the price range you mentioned. I think the used market is a much more efficient use of your budget.
Spike
