What power makes your Sonus Fabers sing
 

Recently at the house of a friend and fellow audiophile, I was asking him which amp he preferred to power his Focal La Scala’s. He was using a McIntosh MA7000 but there was a large SS Conrad Johnson amp ( cant remember which one-output was 500w into 4ohm.) sitting in a corner, silent and without a pre amp.
He said when the CJ’s were connected, the sound came from all directions, completely enveloping him into the music. This was something the MA7000 was unable to do.
Got me wondering to what others use to power their speakers and since I now have the Cremona M, my interest lay in fellow SF owners.

I am quite happily driving my Sonus Faber Guarneri Mementos with a McIntosh MA7000. Plenty of pure, clean power, very transparent, great soundstaging.

Julian

My MC205 does a great job with my Cremona's. Plenty of clean power.

Strads get 300 watts from MC2301's

Amati Aniversarios get 1000 watts from Bryston 28B-SST's

Auditor M's get 300 watts from Bryston 6B-SST

Amati Homage is fed from Convergent Audio technology JL-1's

Extrema's are fed from Yamaha RX-v something was top of the line a few years back.... front channels in theater

Concertos are fed from McIntosh MAC4300 receiver in bedroom

The Extremas are hard to drive properly. The Cats will drive them well. Incredibly the Yamaha does a fine job with them. But I have had some pretty serious amps take a dump on the Extrema's. The Amati's seem to be an easy load.

Ken

MC452 into my Auditor Ms. Previous amp was MC252.

bodiezaffa.......I have powered my Guarneri Memento speakers with a single MC275, a pair of MC275's in mono, a MC352, a pair of MC501's, and presently with a MC452. All sounded great. I love the MC452 on them.

Ken...you have a killer system. The JL-1s are killer amps. I have never heard them but would love to. Do they put off a lot of heat? Have you driven tougher loads than your Amatis with them? If you are familiar with other tube amps, is the CAT house sounds similar to any of the other major tube brands? I am just trying to get a better handle on them.

My Amati Futura's are fed from the Krell EVO-400e mono's.
I have had Cremona's fed from a Krell FPB 400cx, worked very well after i used it with a 150watt Linn which was not my marriage.

Thanks! Well the JL-1's are a love hate relationship with me. Love the sound. Love the power. Hate the heat. Hate the trouble to move one to replace a resistor when a tube shorts. Hate shipping to New York for repairs if necessary. Hate long repair times.

But I have never had a speaker they could not drive the crap out of. Including the big Sound Labs. The Extremas are a difficult load, but no trouble for the JL-1's. These amps replaced a pair of Classe Ca300's that were running in monoblock. The JL-1's have better control of the bass, sweeter midrange, more air on top, and way better dynamics. And they sound more powerful. I truly have never heard better amps. I am sure the JL-3's are better, but I am not going to 32 tubes. Hell 16 is too many already! But the magic of the Jl-1's is the 50 plus pound output transformers and the huge power supply. Each amp weighs about 185 pounds or so. So that makes them a real pain in the ass to move around. I have had them for 11 years and have never wanted anything else. I guess that speaks volumes about them. I am about to add a MC402 for hot summer duties and more casual listening sessions. I run those amps too much!

Ken

Ken...thanks very much for getting back to me. I am sure they sound amazing. Very limited distribution though so hard to get to hear them. Thanks again Ken. And back to our regular programming...

I guess I did not answer you about the Cat house sound vs other tube amps. Well this is sort of strange, but the Cat amps do not sound like tube amps. They sound like great solid state amps in the bass with tube midrange and silk on top. Incredible dynamics both micro and macro. Some times you think they have an expander circuit. They have pop on drums like the real thing. I play drums so I found that startling when I first bought them. Also I have played them at ear splitting levels and never clipped them. These are the only tube amps I have ever heard that do not sound tubey. The bass is in a class few amps achieve, including solid state amps. I use an older set of KT 90's with Telefunkin driver tubes. They are also dead quiet. With the preamp muted, you have to place your ear right on the tweeter to tell the amps are on. Mechanically they are quiet as well. But they will heat a room.

Ken

Was it the cj premier350? Great ss amp

http://www.conradjohnson.com/It_just...premier350.jpg

I drive mine strads with cj premier 8a's with Teflon cap upgrade

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/...dc30d4e4_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/...7aedd227_b.jpg

I love that painting of Lennon! Is that a poster, original, what medium?? I have never seen it before.

Ken

Hi Dan.
I read your original post on the MC452 when you had only 120hrs on them, Seems the love affair is going strong.

Do they offer the "chest thump" usually found in ss amps with that kind of power? Compared to the Jeff Rowlands?

great shots by the way:thumbsup:

Great shots turntable...

I'd love to see one of the whole room if you have one handy.

Stephen

It is an original painting on canvas with 3d textures like string for Lennon's hair. It was painted by my sister in law in her final year high school art project. I rescued it before she threw it out.

I'll see if I can post a recent one Stephen

great pics turntable, thx for posting them

bodiezaffa.......No doubt about chest thump power with the MC452. This amp will easily bench test at over 600 watts, I'm sure of it. Fantastic control of the bottom, all the midrange resolution you can ask for, and a sweet air top end. The MC452 is a fantastic power amplifier.

Wow, I would like to dumpster dive at her place!!! :yes:

I hope she is still painting. That is very very good. She has a great eye for color and contrast. And the subject is presented in a unique way. High School, wow when they have the gift it shows early! Thanks for sharing.

Ken

I'm driving Sonus Cremona Auditor M's with a new Audio Research DSi200 integrated. Very smooth sound with great sound stage and plenty of power.

Hi Ivan, could you reply with a few words why you chose bryston for the amati's and auditors? Do you recall what you auditioned before making that choice.

My guess is that the C-J was an ET250S...an excellent amp.

Any updates on anyone using the Audio Research DSi200 integrated?

Looks like a nice integrated :yes:

Joe

Mark... Sorry for the delayed response, I just saw this now. I didn't audition the Bryston w/ SF.

I took some advice from a few very trusted friends in regards to the synergy of Bryston & Sonus Faber.

They were spot on!

Elipsas, Cremona Center M, 4xCremona Auditor Elipsas driven by Bryston 14B, 7B and 2x4B, all SST2 versions. I'm more than happy with results. :music:

Serge.......Your theater has to sound astonishing. Great set up. :thumbsup:

I'm very happy Dan. I knew that SF speakers can afford to be driven by amps with real testicular fortitude in a room that is well treated and sound the best to my ears that way. While I absolutely love latest Krell amps with Elipsas in rooms with proper acoustics, I decided not to risk so much heat in one cabinet where all my amps are stacked and I decided not to clutter the theater with amps on the floor by the front speakers.

The Bryston amps are still more neutral than McIntosh amps and are faster with crisper transients which works very well for Elipsas when the room is not overly bright, which as you know my theater is treated from head to toe with ASC treatments of all kinds. :D Having auditioned the new SST2 series of Bryston amps, it was an easy decision. It was a perfect solution to go with Bryston muscle and their iron grip on the speakers that are a bit on the warmer/forgiving side of neutral.


I'm getting a perfect balance of crisp transients, extremely well articulated bass, highs that are extended, airy but natural and smooth and a very silky, seductive midrange SF are known for.

If it wasn't for the very well treated room this combo resides in, I would have gone with amps with a smidgen less "enthusiasm", in fact, I'd be looking at MC601's as the perfect partners. :yes:

I use an Electrocompaniet AW250R to drive my Concerto Domus.

http://www.electrocompaniet.no/image.../250_large.jpg

Bump

:banana:

Btw, I use only Bryston 4BSST2 to drive a pair of Guarneri Evolution with perfect synergy. Some folks in Bryston camp suggest to try 7BSST2 monos...the additional power in reserve is tempting but I am playing my tunes in a small room so it maybe a little too much!

Exciting stuff. The Bryston-SF synergy must be heavenly. I would love to hear it, on any level.

Good news on the 4B SST^2 too. I'm feeling mighty tempted to treat myself to a nice Christmas gift this year...:scratch2: I need to get in and hear it first, though.

Is there no one else?

I don't own SF's but I recently heard the Futura's powered by AR's REF 250, 2 REL G1's with a Wadia Series 9 front end. I don't think too many people would complain about that set-up.

Hi larevoj,

Very nice combo. I may get to hear the 4BSST2 this weekend and I am very curious to hear what it sounds like. I don't know what speakers will be paired with them but the Evolutions are on my short list for next year. What preamp are you using?

Joe (aka tdinut)

My Cremona M's are paired with Bryston 7BSST2.

Rick

My 501's and c2300 are making my Cremona's sing quite nicely.

Well, my MC452 that was driving the Amati Anniversario's was moved to the home theater system, and now the Anniversario's are being powered by a pair of MC601's. They are lovin' it. Me, too. :thumbsup:

Hi Joe, I paired the 4BSST2 with ARC Ref 5 preamplifier. I used to run full Bryston gears with BP26 + MPS2 preamplifier and it has excellent dynamic, fast, transparent, and smooth highs.

I know in other various sites you may find comments that Bryston is bright but I assure you it is NOT, however it is dependent on the gears you hook up with and Bryston will play as true to the source as possible. Thats where fine tuning is important e.g. speaker cables, power cords, interconnects, power isolation, vibration control, etc. all these has an incremental effects in SQ and I am still working on it! Though I am VERY near to where I like it to be :)

The BP26 is a very good preamplifier for the price paid and to push the performance yet retain Bryston dynamic response with good bass grip and smooth highs - ARC Ref 5 is my only solution, at least for now. The Ref 5 match with 4BSST2 is flawless to me and it is not entirely house sound of Bryston or ARC but the blend is smooth - Power with Finesse.

Above all a great match to Sonus Faber Guarneri Evolution :thumbsup: