Need a decent AVR/AMP for Bowers and Wilkins CM5 Bookshelf Speakers. - Page 2

fwiw,denon avr 2113 ($420 accessories4less) has everything you need and much more than the rotel amp and is half the price. it has dac ,digital inputs,usb .and as for phono amp the art dj pre II phono amp ($48 at parts express ) is a great little amp, its as good as my more expensive cambridge audio phono amp. this will give you more money for a nice sub like the outlaw lfm-1 plus $550 just my 2 cents

Looks like a nice integrated but it's $1200 right? I think you could similar performance (but maybe not the snob appeal and/or aesthetic appeal) with an AVR and a reasonably priced phono preamp as already suggested.

I am running the CM5's with matching center and a sunfire SDS 12 sub off a denon 3312 and it powers them perfectly. You lack the phono input but Im a flac whore anyways. If you are truly trying to build a nice system then I wouldnt skimp out of just any integrated receiver. You are going to want at least 120 wpc to push them. Acoustical management is great and saves time from you placing speakers, sitting down, getting up, moving an inch, sitting down, getting up, moving them back an inch, sitting down... well you get the point. Any of these receivers that you do get I am sure you will be happy with the end results because after all, the CM5's are an amazing bookshelf speaker. I would look at some sanus stands to get them set at a god height when in your sitting position and place them far from the back of the wall (seal the enclosures with the foam if you can't put them far from the walls)

By looking at your room I wouldn't consider toeing them in because they already look close together but YMMV. I am looking into separate amplification now to pair up with these to get some ore magic out of them.. It all depends what you are trying to get out of yours..

A DAC will only work for 2-channel listening, and will be quite noticeable, with the right cables.

An amp will drastically improve dynamics, background blackness, and low-level detail (if you get the right one).

It depends how much you are afraid of technical progress. A modern AVR and a good subwoofer can provide sonic performance that traditional approaches can never achieve. AFAIK there is no so-called full range speaker that can outperform a modern subwoofer. The only ones that can even come close generally present themselves as speakers with built in subwoofers. To exploit the new technology you will have to educate yourself and do things that you have probably never done before.

That's a nice looking setup. How much did the Rotel separates set you back ($)?

We ALL have something in our racks that we over paid for but thats the beauty of this fine hobby. Sometimes we come up, sometimes we fall short. As long as you get an audio boner when you listen then its all money well spent.

Thank you for that, lmao!