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Just picked up a set of B&W Matrix 801 S3 speakers (just black, no fancy finish) with the sound anchor stands and internal North Creek crossovers for a really good price. Any strong suggestions for an amp/preamp to go with these? I've seen the older Adcom gfa555 mentioned here before. Does that still hold true?

gazza wrote: Tue Feb 17, 2026 9:11 am Just picked up a set of B&W Matrix 801 S3 speakers (just black, no fancy finish) with the sound anchor stands and internal North Creek crossovers for a really good price. Any strong suggestions for an amp/preamp to go with these? I've seen the older Adcom gfa555 mentioned here before. Does that still hold true?

Congratulations.

That amp would be plenty of power for 87db.

I do worry about what to get when my Pyramid Model 7's finally quit. I love them.

enframed wrote: Tue Feb 17, 2026 9:26 am

gazza wrote: Tue Feb 17, 2026 9:11 am Just picked up a set of B&W Matrix 801 S3 speakers (just black, no fancy finish) with the sound anchor stands and internal North Creek crossovers for a really good price. Any strong suggestions for an amp/preamp to go with these? I've seen the older Adcom gfa555 mentioned here before. Does that still hold true?

Congratulations.

That amp would be plenty of power for 87db.

I have used an Adcom with 801s. It was totally good.

I have a Parasound Halo A21 now and it's wonderful but also like 4x as much as the Adcom was.

Those crossovers are a big deal--I was futzing with my speakers until I got those things.
Immediately stopped having to mess with 'em. Just put the "bass alignment filter" in the basement somewhere.
Mine came with those stands as well, definitely good to have!

eephus wrote: Tue Feb 17, 2026 9:43 am

enframed wrote: Tue Feb 17, 2026 9:26 am

gazza wrote: Tue Feb 17, 2026 9:11 am Just picked up a set of B&W Matrix 801 S3 speakers (just black, no fancy finish) with the sound anchor stands and internal North Creek crossovers for a really good price. Any strong suggestions for an amp/preamp to go with these? I've seen the older Adcom gfa555 mentioned here before. Does that still hold true?

Congratulations.

That amp would be plenty of power for 87db.

I have used an Adcom with 801s. It was totally good.

I have a Parasound Halo A21 now and it's wonderful but also like 4x as much as the Adcom was.

Those crossovers are a big deal--I was futzing with my speakers until I got those things.
Immediately stopped having to mess with 'em. Just put the "bass alignment filter" in the basement somewhere.
Mine came with those stands as well, definitely good to have!

Yeah I am not really looking to drop Parasound money so I think I will shop around for an adcom. What about the world of preamps? Phono and otherwise

The Lounge phono preamp made a crazy difference on my setup but I’ve never compared it to anything except the tube preamp inside my Sherwood tube receiver.

I traded it from a friend used for a month or two of practice space rent but if it broke I would buy another, however begrudgingly.

gazza wrote: Tue Feb 17, 2026 9:11 am Just picked up a set of B&W Matrix 801 S3 speakers (just black, no fancy finish) with the sound anchor stands and internal North Creek crossovers for a really good price. Any strong suggestions for an amp/preamp to go with these? I've seen the older Adcom gfa555 mentioned here before. Does that still hold true?

the Adcom amps are OK, but you can do better. Look for a used Bryston. Or Benchmark. Or if new is your bag, check out Schitt Audio - they have some nice power amps for good money.

Preamps - good preamps are getting cheaper, because everybody wants a built in streamer and dac. 5 year old preamps don' t often have those. So be on the lookout. I have not heard the Schitt preamps, but people seem to like them.

gazza wrote: Tue Feb 17, 2026 9:54 am Yeah I am not really looking to drop Parasound money so I think I will shop around for an adcom. What about the world of preamps? Phono and otherwise

Have an old Lehmann Black Cube phono pre. Not sure which one. I think they're like $500.
No hype, can handle any cartridge you throw at it, just a good box. Tried tube stuff etc., nothing was better.

Myryad MP100 line pre for, I dunno, twenty years? Prob about $400 used if you can find one.
Company was founded by ex-Arcam guys and I liked my old Arcam integrated.
When I beefed up the stereo, I went with Myryad and have had no issues with it lifetime, sonically or otherwise.
I do not know what anything they've made since sounds like.

Any reccos for tower speakers? I currently use B&W CDM1SE on stands, and they sound fine but don’t have any bass. If my space had the right dimensions I’d get my old Klipsch Heresy 2s out of storage and be happy. I have a newish 100w Yamaha integrated amp, fwiw and just wanna rock Love it to Death on vinyl. I’m a man of simple taste. Used market is fine. Something that’s not esoteric. I dunno… $1500 or less?

twelvepoint wrote: Mon Feb 23, 2026 3:27 pm Any reccos for tower speakers? I currently use B&W CDM1SE on stands, and they sound fine but don’t have any bass. If my space had the right dimensions I’d get my old Klipsch Heresy 2s out of storage and be happy. I have a newish 100w Yamaha integrated amp, fwiw and just wanna rock Love it to Death on vinyl. I’m a man of simple taste. Used market is fine. Something that’s not esoteric. I dunno… $1500 or less?

I bought a Dayton 8" powered sub years ago, and it did the trick.