SF speakers sound good to me with my set up, keep in mind that speaker set up is extremely important. If you don't space and toe them in just right they sound all together different.

I've owned AE gear before as well the MC275 as well as a Cary SLI-80. If you haven't played around with tubes in your 2275, you should. It can easily keep up with the gear you mentioned. Don't give up on it just yet.

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System 7.1:
Wilson Sasha/Mezzo/Watch surrounds
D'Agostino Momentum x3 amps
Bryston 4B SST2 x2 amps
Krell S1200U pre/pro
Oppo Blu
Sony Blu changer
McIntosh MS300 music server
EAR/Yoshino Acute III tubed CDP
Transparent Ultra cabling
JL Audio F212 Sub
Lumagen video processor
JVC RS-35U projector
Stewart Screen

Steve,

Much of what I have read about the Mementos tells me that they need a lot of power to sound as they should. Obviously tubes should be a match made in heaven with the speakers; but do you really think the 2275 has enough raw power to drive the speakers to perfection.

Is it really "Mac" that is your problem, or is it lack of sufficient power in the Mac that you bought?

I have used (SS only) much higher powered amps with my Mementos and they are superb to say the least. I would love to try a high powered tube amp - I'll wager that they would be incredible.

__________________
Julian


MAIN SYSTEM: Avalon Eidolons and/or Audio Physic Caldera III Loudspeakers, Spectral DMC 30SL Preamp, Spectral DMA 250 Amp, Spectral/MIT interconnects and speaker cable, STAX SR-404 Signature Electrostatic Headphones, STAX SRM-727 Headphone Amp, Basis Debut V Vacuum turntable, Walker Precision Speed Controller, Graham tonearm, Graham Nightingale II Cartridge, PASS - X-ono Phono Stage, Esoteric Modified-X03 CD/SACD Player, Exact Power EP-15A & SP-15A power regeneration and conditioning devices. Symposium Acoustics Svelte pads & RollerBlock Jr's under speakers. ASC Tube Traps, Arcici Suspense Rack System


UPSTAIRS SYSTEM: Sonus Faber Guarneri Memento Speakers, JL Audio F112 Sub, McIntosh MA7000 Integrated Amplifier, McIntosh MVP871 Universal Disc Player, OPPO BDP-95 Blu-Ray Player, VPI Scoutmaster with periphery ring clamp, VPI SDS Motor Drive, Koetsu Pro IV cartridge, Mark Levinson No. 25s phono stage, Wadia 170i Transport with a Meridian Bitstream 203 DAC, VPI HW-17 Pro Record Cleaning Machine, Five Richard Gray RGPC 400 devices scattered around in the two systems, Arcici Suspense Rack System, Discovery Essence and Essential Cables, 14,000 ± LPs .

Well, my 60WPC Six Pacs were less power but sounded much better. My dealer who is now 1800 miles away has his mementos set up with the 2275 and has had them like this for 2 years at least. Over the phone he assured me that the 2275 was plenty of power. He is a platinum Mac dealer.

Its not that it sounds horrible, just different. Gone is the delicacy and the big soundstage. In exchange I get the grunt, more power, ability to play louder and a full, sort of muffled sound.

When I first switched I was upset but after daily listening I started to get used to the MAC sound, or the 2275 sound at least. Then one day after a couple of months I put in another set of AES gear and I was very upset.

The sound opened up like a thick blanket was lifted off of the speakers.

I borrowed the amps and pre from a buddy 80 miles away to do this comparison again.

Basically the mac will give me a little more volume but the AES six pacs are just so much more refined and magical. I can say that the $3700 AES mono amps and pre amp sounded amazingly better than the $7500 2275 with anything jazz, vocal, pop. The 2275 did in fact kill the AES setup with rock, heavy metal and anything with big bass but again the sound of the 2275 is still sort of lifeless. Its big, but kind of dead sounding.

That is the only way to explain it. In any case, I can not sell it so I have to live with it for at least 3 years. I thought of trading it for a 7000 thinking maybe that it had more power and maybe was not as muffled sounding. I dont know.

I do know that the Mementos sounded gorgeous with the little $3700 AES Mono Blocs and Pre Amp system. I should of left it as it was but I always heard of the Sonus/Mac synergy and heard the 2275 was one hell of an integrated. Its a nice integrated but maybe not a great match for these speakers.

I even thought of selling my Mementos but could not do it as I know what they sound like when all is right.

No more to read? I started to be interested on this topic and then gone.... the further posts... no traces..

How about the Musica by Sonus Faber?

Julian has a MA7000 now... nuff said...

__________________
Shindo/DeVore Super 8's

One good thing about music: When it hits you, you feel no pain.

Bob Marley

Stephen.......Nuff said!

__________________
Dan


Living Room System: McIntosh C2300, MC601 (2), MCD1100, MS750, MR85, Sony DAT 60ES, Nakamichi BX-300, Micro Seiki DD-40, Ortofon 2M Black, Sonos ZP90, Oppo BDP-83SE Blu-ray, PMC EB1i, Fathom f113 w/ Sound Anchor stand, Power Plant Premier (2), PS Audio Soloist Premier SE (3), Rollerblock Jr.'s, Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's & PC's, Kimber 8TC with WBT Solid Silver Angled Locking Banana Connectors.
Studio System: McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MCD1100, MR88, Michell Gyro SE w/SME 309/Ortofon Cadenza Black, Sonos ZP90, PS Audio Power Plant Premier, PS Audio Soloist Premier SE, Sonus Faber Amati Anniversario, Rollerblock Jr.'s, Wireword Silver Eclipse IC's & PC's, Wireworld Silver Eclipse speaker cable.
Studio Home Theater System: McIntosh MX120, MC452, Oppo BDP-95 Blu-ray, PS Audio Soloist Premier SE, JBL LSR-6332 (2), JBL LSR-6328P (3), McIntosh XLS112 (2), Sony 52XBR9, Tributaries Silver IC's, Wireworld PC's.
Vintage: McIntosh MA5100, MR74 tuner, JVC XL-Z1050 K2 CD player, Wyred 4 Sound DAC2, Tandberg 3008A and 3026A, JBL4312A , McIntosh 4300V for deck speakers.

Hey NGeorge,

I actually tried a SF Musica with Cremona Auditors several years ago and thought it a really good match.

I think it would be a little under powered for the Mementos - but it would sound great within its range.

Thanks,

Julian

__________________
Julian


MAIN SYSTEM: Avalon Eidolons and/or Audio Physic Caldera III Loudspeakers, Spectral DMC 30SL Preamp, Spectral DMA 250 Amp, Spectral/MIT interconnects and speaker cable, STAX SR-404 Signature Electrostatic Headphones, STAX SRM-727 Headphone Amp, Basis Debut V Vacuum turntable, Walker Precision Speed Controller, Graham tonearm, Graham Nightingale II Cartridge, PASS - X-ono Phono Stage, Esoteric Modified-X03 CD/SACD Player, Exact Power EP-15A & SP-15A power regeneration and conditioning devices. Symposium Acoustics Svelte pads & RollerBlock Jr's under speakers. ASC Tube Traps, Arcici Suspense Rack System


UPSTAIRS SYSTEM: Sonus Faber Guarneri Memento Speakers, JL Audio F112 Sub, McIntosh MA7000 Integrated Amplifier, McIntosh MVP871 Universal Disc Player, OPPO BDP-95 Blu-Ray Player, VPI Scoutmaster with periphery ring clamp, VPI SDS Motor Drive, Koetsu Pro IV cartridge, Mark Levinson No. 25s phono stage, Wadia 170i Transport with a Meridian Bitstream 203 DAC, VPI HW-17 Pro Record Cleaning Machine, Five Richard Gray RGPC 400 devices scattered around in the two systems, Arcici Suspense Rack System, Discovery Essence and Essential Cables, 14,000 ± LPs .

Thanks for the review..

The SF Musica certainly is a BEAUTIFUL amplifier.

__________________
Shindo/DeVore Super 8's

One good thing about music: When it hits you, you feel no pain.

Bob Marley