[XCSSA] Sound issues with "The Darkness"

[X-otic Computer Systems of San Antonio]

>>
>> If you want something cheapest, you'll probably have to settle for a
>> lot of extras, like FM tuning, that you didn't really want.
>
> I dunnknow.. Don't Dennon and Crown still do nice single perpose  
> dual mono
> amps?

Both of those are relatively high end brands (Crown gets little  
respect from most audiophiles, probably for no good reason, but are  
still big in professional sound).

Cheapest Denon integrated I found in a quick search is $1199 for 80  
watts per channel.  That's an integrated.  Cheapest Crown is a power  
amp (I don't know if they ever even made integrated amps, mostly  
known for separate power amps and preamps) is $415.

For cheap, I'd go instead with a Audio Source Amp 100.  (That's a  
power amp, not an integrated, but it has volume controls.  I argued  
he doesn't need a integrated or preamp unless he needs it for a  
turntable.)
50 watts RMS per channel (real watts).

That's only $99.99 at JR.com:

http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process? 
Product=4021738&JRsource=dthai.gaw.amp100

For convenience with multiple inputs, get a selector switch from  
Radio Shack for $19 or thereabouts.  Modern digital sources put out  
enough voltage (2V typically) to drive any power amp to full power or  
beyond.  Even 1V sources will play as loud as you could actually  
want.  Audiophiles have been using "passive line stages" with no  
gain, only attenuation, for years.  I was in that category from  
1980-1999, when I started getting fancy remote control preamps for  
the convenience, but any extra gain is usually wasted.  It's actually  
better to have to turn your volume control half way rather than just  
10 degrees.  That's no indication of actual power availability, just  
needless voltage gain.

I have their old model Amp2 with 80 watts per channel and as far as  
I'm concerned, it's a high end amp which cost me only $229.

Charles