ramiro,
Have you listened to the AVR200 yet. Although they are renowned for being the most musical of the AV amps i would still go and have a listen.
I'm upgrading for the first time in 15yrs and I would say my music and film watching is 50%:50%. However, when I'm watching a movie about 80% of my attention is on the screen and I don't really notice the sound as much as I do when listening to CD.
Now I don't really know much about hifi and didn't think I was that fussy, however on thursday i demoed the AVR 200 with the some £500ish floorstanders, B&W, KEFF, MA. The best sound I found was with the new Monitor Audio Silver S6 -great detail, yet with CDs I was very disappointed and didn't feel like spending £800 on a amp that I was somehow disappointed with. I thought maybe my expectations were too high.
Just been back to the shop today and demoed a few more amps with the S6. Tried the Arcam A75- massive difference over the AVR200, I could tell in the first 3 seconds, equally as detailed but much richer and not as nasel sounding. Tried a Roksan Kandy, much more control, punchier bass but I thougt it lost some of the detail in the mid and upper bands. I ended up with a Music Fidelity A3. Wow! Finally found what I was looking for, and cheaper as it was Ex-display.
As I said forgive the poor descriptions, I don't really know much about hifi but I was amazed to be able to tell such a difference between all the different kit. I'm now going to have to buy a AV amp to add on for the movies. If you are serious about listening to the music 80% of the time then demo the AVR200 against some hifi amps- in the end I wasn't ready to accept the compromise. But if you do, try out the MA Silver 6i- sounded really clean and fairly bright without being tireing.
Edd
