I'm looking for a good quality Stereo amp that would match with JBL 890 floorstanders. Budget is 700-1000 US$. There is a posibility to use pre-amp in feauture. Please suggest what amp I should consider.
There are so many brands out there offering amplifiers in your price range it is difficult to suggest just a few. Can you tell us what's available in your area?
I'm currently using Yamaha RXV-450 for both A/V purpose. Considering SQ, audio is not good as video. Mid is fine but woofers are not good. Bass in not tight, deep and punchy.
I'm using OPPO DV-980 as source. It has good review on CD/SACD. Fronts spk (JBL-890) also has good review. So I beleave if I separate JBL for audio with good maching amp I should get much beter sound.
Solutions I'm considering following options: -Pre + power amp (both SS) or -Tube Pre (could be Diva Classic 1H)+ SS Power (ADCOM) or -Good Int amp (should has good pre section)
For 2-channel music listening, your best bet in my opinion is to upgrade your source. The Oppo is servicable for audio...nothing more. If you want to build something that will give you good sound quality you're going to need a new source. Either a new cdp, or a dac using your Oppo as a transport only.
IMO, spend most of the $1000 on a decent source, and buy a less expensive amp for now, and upgrade later when you get additional cash. This would get you much better sound. There are some very good inexpensive Class T or D amps, or you could check out the used market for a traditional A/AB amp.
I'm not familiar with the JBL's so I don't know how difficult they are to drive.
I find Adcom is kind of like NAD in the sense you have to listen to 4 or 5 different pieces of equipment of each, to find one that sounds good. Arcam on the other hand, well everything seems to sound good from them. If you go the Adcom or NAD route, pick your pieces wisely. But of course, you have to get out there and listen to some stuff to hear what you will like.
EH, do you want a HT receiver or an integrated amp? Cambridge has a lot of buzz for both products. If you are going to use a Yamaha receiver, the lower 640C would work OK.
The Cyrus CD6s is not very good value for money in my opinion. Over here, it retails for not much less than a Rega Apollo, and the Apollo is in the next league up.
That said, the prices you have may be very different to mine, since you're comparing the NAD C521 which is an obsolete machine replaced by the C525BEE nowadays.
On the amplifier front, price for price, I would struggle between the Arcam and NAD (I don't know the Adcoms which I have seen recommended in the past). The Arcam presentation is warmer smoother and overall a bit more rounded than the NAD, but this gives the NAD an incisiveness and attack which the Arcam can lack occasionally. It also depends on which models you're considering of course...