Need help with suggestions on choosing an amp for my new 7.2.4 Hi-Fi System

[PENG]

Why exactly would i need balanced to unbalanced connects? It amazes me the different opinions in here regarding what to amp and what amp to buy, hard to narrow down when one person says its not good and another say its good, i was looking at the emotiva XPA-7 Gen 3 but that Buckeye seems to be better or am i wrong? I'm assuming I should be going for a class A/B or class A amp?

You are right, and that's why I would rely on specs and bench test measurements, not on people's aubjective perceived sound quality claims. Anyone can say anything, but such claims need to be collaborated with specs and measurements.

 

[PENG]

Couldn't I just use 8 of the following cables going from the marantz preouts to the buckeye?

RCA to XLR-Male Cable | Made from Mogami 2549 & Amphenol Gold & Neutrik Gold Connectors | Pro Audio LA

Can't tell without seeing the connection diagrams, but I know the Monoprice premier series work well.

 

[fmw]

If you guys were in my shoes, what would you do about an amp?

I would use the amps in the receiver and never look back.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I would use the amps in the receiver and never look back.

Yeah, that’s pretty much what I said. I think the amps in the Marantz Cinema-40 are great enough for the R11.

I mentioned that I know a person who got the R11 and Yamaha RX-A4A. He still says he wants an ATI amp. But he’s been using the A4A with the R11 for a year now and loving it everyday.

Apparently the A4A is doing just fine without any external amps. Getting an external amp would be just a luxury, not a necessity.

And the Cinema 40 will do just fine with the KEF without any external amps.