Quote:
Originally Posted by
schroedk 
I would jump on the 4311 for $900. I just replaced a Marantz AV7005 with a 4311, using a Sunfire Signature Seven for my amp (400 x 7), powering Salon2 fronts and a Voice2 center, with Def Tech in-walls for sides and backs. I went with the 4311 for the XT32, since I'm running quad subs in my treated room, and it does a fantastic job at smoothing the response from top to bottom. Also, with the 4311, if you decide that you want more power or just to try some standalone amps with the system later on, the amps in the 4311 can be turned off if you''re using the pre-outs. I've since added a McIntosh MC402 (400 watts x 2) for 2-channel music with my Salon2's, with a Squeezebox Touch/Jolida tube DAC combo. While the 4311 sounds great by itself, I think the McIntosh allows the Salon2's to perform as well as they're designed to. I don't want to get into a whole "amps are all the same" debate, and at least 50% of the reason I wanted the McIntosh was for the blue dials/name (and I found a great dealer demo on it), but my point is that at least if you start with the 4311, you can always add an amp later on down the line, when the money might be there after getting the room done. My system(s) have been a 20ish year project/labor of love; you shouldn't be too impatient to want to do everything at once. As your tastes and experience changes, then you can look at investing your money more wisely vs. squandering it on lesser value attempts (which I'm guilty of, like others).
My suggestion of Lexicon and JBL Synthesis/Performance was not an attempt to wade too deeply into the separates versus integrated debate. By virtually all accounts, the Denon 4311 and related products are terrific pieces, and the XT32 seems like a no-brainer upgrade for a four-sub system (I have the Marantz AV7005, myself, but a simpler system to manage, and tend to eschew Audyssey in favor of my own sonic impressions -- probably a mistake, but hey). If an integrated works, go for it, and the 4311 at $900 looks like a steal. In my case, save for the Marantz (yoked to the JBL AV7), i stayed in-house on my systems -- all JBL Synthesis/Performance and Revel, and could not be more pleased. The JBL Synthesis labeled amps and processors (whether independently designed or Lexicon re-badges) work splendidly, and when priced like I see on occasion, seem like an utter bargain. JBL Synthesis strikes me as one of those extremely under-appreciated brands, perhaps due to its general association with fully integrated systems, versus serving as component pieces for custom applications. Some of this is intentional, I presume, to keep the brand discrete from Lexicon, but that works to our advantage as consumers and audiophiles. I got each of my S800 and AV7 each, for well under $1,000. They work flawlessly, stay cool and quiet (by way of fans and distortion), and have yet to clip in any discernible way.
