Yes I know this topic has been beat to death, but I don't jump out and spend G's on an amplifier without doing research. Well wait, I already have and am not entirely happy.
Current setup: RF7II, Orbit turntable (upgraded with cork mat, ortolan 2M blue stylus), Yamaha RX-A1070 bi-amped, large listening room. I was talked into the RX-A1070 by the only local shop which essentially specializes in surround systems. I'm not interested in surround systems. Stereo 2.0, with A/B speaker set up. The 1070 allowed me to bi-amp OR have the A/B speakers (I have not run the wires for the second set of Klipsch bookshelf speakers. The RF-7II are primary)
My biggest issue is how loud the system gets. I'm a 90's kid, I listen to 90's music: STP, Sublime, Alice in chains; I listen to 60's/70's Led Zepplin, Doors. I like music loud a lot of times, but will also listen to it at normal levels depending on the music and people (fleetwood mac, David Bowe).
My issue with my setup is how load it gets. I assume its power issue or something; near 0DB on the amp, or 1-2 and I get a terrible distortion. I get that over 0db on the amp is pushing more power than it has, but the distortion seems to come instantly and overpowering.
Ok, so where do I go from here. I am willing to spend a couple thousand (2k-3k) on a new amp. I'm interested in tube amps, but have concerns with the price per watt output. I have never heard a tube amp, so excuse my ignorance. If I go tube amp do I bypass the orbit pre-amp and get a tube pre-amp? Will I get the decimal in a larger room (stepping off its 20'x20'). If I don't go tube amp (eventually I need to try tubes), then what would you recommend? In your opinion what should the financial ration between amp and speaker be? I spent $2400 on the speakers (got a deal before they went RF-7III) and $1200 on the receiver but I'm not entirely happy. Then again is it just the larger room? Has any one Bi-wired the RF-7II's? how difficult is it?