I am currently running my Triton Three's in my basement media room some 20' X 11' with 7' ceilings. 3 walls are cement as well as the floor and I have treated the room with acoustic foam in the corners (corner bass traps), back wall (2 - 4 inch thick bass traps), first reflection points and over the speakers and listening areas.
I have my whole system running through a Furman A/C Power conditioner and my other equipment is a Denon AVR-X4000, Sony Bluray player (soon to be replaced by an Oppo 103D) a Thorens TD-318 Turntable, an older Rotel CD player with center and surround speakers by Cambridge Soundworks.
Even though the system sounds pretty good I was wondering if I would be better off connecting a quality integrated amp to the Denon AVR on the Pre-outs and just have the AVR power the center and surrounds only and have the TT and CD player run off the IA. If this is a good idea, what quality integrated amps (100 - 200 watts?) would be a good match for my system and the Tritons. I used to have a NAD receiver and I really liked the quality and sound. I am really seeking the best advice for better all around sound and an IA with a good phono unit. Thanks in advance for all members for your info and recommendations.

Hi JohnnrR711, my personal experience has shown external amps are much better than receiver amps. Many mfgrs are fudging watts stats as they don't show power with ALL channels driven. They also weigh ~30lbs and claim in excess of 1200w? When you say a "quality integrated amp" that is what your Denon is. I think you are asking about external amps. I have been using and do highly recommend Emotiva amps. I would also recommend an external amp for the center channel as well. If you want high quality sound during movies the center is a pivotal sound source. I am using the XPA-1s for L/R and the (now discontinued XPA-1L) for the center.

Emotiva is having a 20% sale thru the end of December. Have a look at the site for details. I can tell you from experience you wont be disappointed with the Emotiva amp. I have had mine 1 year and just added the XPA-1 amps to my front 3 channels. Incredible sound in class A mode. I had XPA-2s still good amp but class A is better

emotiva.com/products/emotiva/amplifiers-0

There are MANY very experienced members on this forum. You will get a lot of good recommendations/advice here.

Hope this helps!!

Enjoy!!

Oh yea, WELCOME to the forum!!

JohnnyR711,

Sounds like you've put some serious thought and effort into your system. The acoustics in basements can be tricky and starting there is a great investment. Well done!

I was a Denon owner for years but eventually found their sound a bit lean. I think adding an IA or outboard amp would be a great investment. There's nothing like good, clean power.

A few IAs I would put high on my list to audition would be the Parasound Halo Integrated, Anthem I-225, and any of the Hegel H-80/160/360. There are plenty of other great options out there from Peachtree, NAD, Rogue, etc. it would be best to get out to a few local dealers and have a listen for yourself to see what you like. The closer you can test them with you setup, the better. An in home audition would be even better.

Besides the IA route, you could also go separates. Like Splash51, I have been very happy with the Emotiva gear. You could easily incorporate an XSP-1 Preamplifier with the amp or amps of your choice and have a great setup. The XSP-1 has home theater bypass capabilities and sounds great. I have mine mated with a pair of the XPA-1L amps and the ERC-3 CD player. All in, I've invested less than $2,500 for the setup and it sounds great! It's certainly better, IMO, than my Integra 70.2 receiver and has my Tritons singing sweetly and with authority. You need the extra power in a basement setup like we both have.

On another note, I'd consider upgrading to the Oppo 105D versus the 103. The 103 is good, but the 105 is worth the added cost if you listen to two channel music! It will replace your Blu-Ray and CD players and do an excellent job. Several others here will likely echo this recommendation.

What ever you decide, please let us know how things work out. If your willing, please post some pics along the way. Happy hunting!

Cheers,

T Cobe

Welcome JohnnyR711,
The guys are giving you good advice above. And yes, T. Cobe, I agree on the Oppo 105D. Yes, Splash, external amps would be best.
Obviously you have given this a LOT of thought and work in your room. So I can imagine you are set on the idea of another Integrated so you can play your turntable.
IF so, the T 3s will reward you if you get a great sounding integrated, so you really should try to audition as many as you can find with a phono circuit, not so easy to find these days.
IF cost is an issue, and since you are looking for something that used to be common but is not so much any more, you might look for a good used IA.
IF cost is not the issue, I would go the way of the good power amps, get the Oppo 105D and save all your LPs to files and retire the turntable. Just a suggestion.
Please let us know what you decide and how it comes out.
Have fun with it, God Bless,
Wayne