what amp under a grand?

IDK but i would think the a23 would be enough @ 225 watts into 4 ohms. and if is not enough a year from now, i could always get another one and bridge them. but i do think the a23 and p5 would be a big improvement over the 2100 and 2250.

and if is not enough a year from now, i could always get another one and bridge them.

Sorry Jughead, that's a bad idea. Minimum speaker load impedance for the a23 in bridged mode is 8 ohms and your speakers are 4 ohms. The a23 may work initially, but will likely fail due to running extremely hot. This would be the same as using a 2 ohm speaker load in the stereo mode.

Why not ask the dealer if he will give you a 30 day option to return the a23 and pay the difference for the a21?

I agree with Tls49. Do not bridge the A23 with your VA's. Also, if you end up buying another one, you'll just wonder why you didn't get an A21 in the first place. Compromises in the HiFi can be very expensive.

Also, Tls49's suggestion is a good one. See if you can get a trial to find out if the A23 meets all your expectations. If not, return and get the A21 and call it a day.

I believe the A23 would be all you need but again that's me. I also know that not having what you really want can lead to nagging buyers remorse that as I said above, can get even more expensive. In the end, the thing that really matters is having the amp that makes you happy, not us. Best of luck brother!

Hey Jughead, so you do have the Paraound 2100 and 2250 right now? And you're considering either the A21 or A23 with the P5?

I've got the P7, pretty close apparently to the P5, and the A21. My speakers are Paradigm Signature S6, 4 drivers including tweeter per speaker, and a sensitivity of 91 with 8 ohms rating. But they go down to 3.2 ohms at a lower frequency. Anyway, to get the volume I prefer, mostly under 80db, the A21 is just loafing along not anywhere near full power. So it depends on what volume levels you prefer and room size. Mine is a fairly big space in a basement that's pretty open, about 600 square feet.

Your speakers are rated at 90 db sens, with 6 ohms, so the load seems pretty comparable. Really, I'd think the A23 would suit you fine, it would drive your speakers to their fullest. I'd only consider the A21 if it's the end game amp for you, the last amp you'll ever buy. That's one reason why I bought it, that and it runs in Class A for the first 10 watts, said to be a nicer sound than the class AB of most amps.

It's not cheap though.

Yes I have the 2100 and 2250 as of now, but I got a real good deal on the p5 brand new so went ahead and bought it. my room is about 15 by 19 and I never listen to music at ear bleeding levels, only because my wife hates my music taste. but I would think that the p5 and a23 combo would be a noticeable step above the 2100 and 2250? If I bought the a21 then yes end of game this will be my amp for years to come but that could be true for the a23 as well.but I agree 100% with paraneer put more focus on the pre amp this is where the refinement of sound happens. I know that these are the two amps iv'e narrowed it down to, but when I get read to pull the trigger on the a21 I think to myself do I really need that much power?