You probably won't hear much difference unless you go much bigger in amplifier power. Your Receiver now puts out around 100-120 watts/ch (my random guess). To really hear a significant difference, you need at least a high quality amp putting out 200 or higher watts/channel. Ideally, you also want that amp to put out bigger numbers at you go lower in Ohms (doubling wattage is ideal). Your Receiver likely cannot put out the bigger numbers when the Ohms drop. I was in your shoes until just recently. It was b/w Sunfire 200/7 vs. 400/7. I chose the latter because i was not sure if 200watts would give enough difference from what my Denon was putting out (130W/ch.). (With Denon AVR, the manual states that it is stable for short period down to 4-ohms.)
Anyway, my point is that you probably won't see much difference with anything that you do now with your current gear (biamp, etc.). And i would not get Rotel because the difference is not all that great from what you have now...and is it even stable down to 2 ohms? I would save up money to get a high quality amp with better numbers. It took me 4 years of savings before i finally got what i wanted (new Sunfire TGA7401). It is not cheap, but i waited.
As for 7- vs. 5-channel amps, i had a decision to make between a new Sunfire 7-channel vs. 5-channel amp. Price difference was significant. However, after 4 years of dreaming, i went with the 7-channels even though my room is a 5.1 setup (not big enough for 6.1, much less 7.1). Why? Three reasons:
1. Future proofing...just in case i move to a bigger house (you just never know!) or i go crazy and add 1-2 more speakers to keep up with the neighbors!
If i move to a bigger house, then it would suck that i would then have to buy another 2-channel amp.
2. Just in case (very doubtful), 1 or 2 channels go out, i will have backup.
3. Not likely, but i would like to think that an amp that was designed for 7 channels has more headroom than an amp that has 5-channels. This is just me trying to justify my purchase....
Hope this helps...good luck!
Anyway, my point is that you probably won't see much difference with anything that you do now with your current gear (biamp, etc.). And i would not get Rotel because the difference is not all that great from what you have now...and is it even stable down to 2 ohms? I would save up money to get a high quality amp with better numbers. It took me 4 years of savings before i finally got what i wanted (new Sunfire TGA7401). It is not cheap, but i waited.
As for 7- vs. 5-channel amps, i had a decision to make between a new Sunfire 7-channel vs. 5-channel amp. Price difference was significant. However, after 4 years of dreaming, i went with the 7-channels even though my room is a 5.1 setup (not big enough for 6.1, much less 7.1). Why? Three reasons:
1. Future proofing...just in case i move to a bigger house (you just never know!) or i go crazy and add 1-2 more speakers to keep up with the neighbors!
If i move to a bigger house, then it would suck that i would then have to buy another 2-channel amp.2. Just in case (very doubtful), 1 or 2 channels go out, i will have backup.
3. Not likely, but i would like to think that an amp that was designed for 7 channels has more headroom than an amp that has 5-channels. This is just me trying to justify my purchase....
Hope this helps...good luck!
