
Originally Posted by
Mag_Neato
You could try just an amp, but results may vary as to what improvements you perceive.
I used a Marantz AVR for years with a 200 watt separate amp. It was better, but you really have to know your system and how it sounds to detect some of the changes. Once I eliminated the Marantz and put in the Parasound P5 I noticed a bigger improvement for music. I'm fortunate to have a dedicated music system as well as a dedicated HT setup, so I can mess with the music system to my heart's content, only limited by my budget, without affecting the HT setup in the living room.
One of the biggest improvements I experienced was adding a 2nd sub and EQ'ing both subs with a MiniDSP 2x4HD. That's a bit on the advanced side, but not overly difficult to do.
P.S. If you can, ask the forum overlords to move this thread to the "Setup and How To's" section so it can get more visibility.