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Old 02-25-2019, 10:40 PM
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80B 80B is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Old City
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TakeFive View Post
For all that own the Futuras, can they be driven with tube amps 80 - 120 watts? Or do you need 300-600 watts of solid state power to effectively drive them? Not planning on blasting them at high levels. I have a normal size listening room of 20x14 feet. Curious if any experimented as everyone seems to opt for the solid state.
While each amp has its unique characteristics, you could match an MC275 (or better, a pair running as mono blocks) and having great results. I don't listen at high volumes the vast majority of time with my 300W tube amps. Not that you have to stay with Mc amplification, but those are models many here own and therefore can relate to. I've been told you might get more bass "slam" from higher-watt SS amps and SF speakers.

At this level (even if you like black vs. red AFs ) you can't go wrong. I say that instead of "go audition" since the AFs are no longer in production, and auditioning with different amps is probably not an option. If for some reason I had to switch over to my MC501s tomorrow from my MC2301s, I'd have great, but somewhat different sound.
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Sources: Vinyl: Clearaudio Innovation Wood turntable with 9" Universal tonearm, Da Vinci V2 cartridge, Stillpoints SS & Stillpoints clamp, McIntosh MVP 901, Apple Mac mini via Benchmark DAC 1, Aurender N100C via Schiit Yggdrasil
Control: McIntosh C1100, Mcintosh MX151
Power: Mcintosh MC2301s (front), McIntosh MC501 (center), Mcintosh MC402 (rear)
Speakers: Sonus Faber Amati Futura (front and back), SF Vox center
Power/connections: PS Audio Power Port receptacles, RGPC 400 pro (2) WireWorld interconnects and speaker cable
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