My Sonus Faber Speakers are in the house!!

[mbovaird]

Originally Posted by sanji

Congrats Mike! The system and room looks amazing! Bet it sounds wonderful.

Thanks Sanji.....if you're ever in Sarasota Fl - come on over!

[vintage_tube]

I'm glad for you and also glad Reggies speakers made it to a AA member. Congrats Mike. The set up looks awesome.

Best

Bob

[KahunaCanuck]

Congrats on the amazing new speakers and a really beautiful room!

Enjoy!!

[william13]

Mike
The best part of this is not the toys but joy you experienced and shared with us.
Enjoy the bliss
Bill

[mbovaird]

Originally Posted by william13

Mike
The best part of this is not the toys but joy you experienced and shared with us.
Enjoy the bliss
Bill

Well said Bill! Bob and KahunaCanuck - thanks!!

[Jerome W]

Congrats Mike ! Absolutely stunning !
You made a great write up.
I never heard seriously other Sonus Faber speakers than the GM but there are so many happy owners that I will try to set up an audition to be less stupid.
Your experience with the power delivered by the 2301's mirrors mine with both the Wilsons WP8 and the less efficient PMCs EB1i. Most of the time the listening was at 3 W and maybe twice a year I listened to them at 30 W. I tried sometimes peaks of 300W (actually the needles were showing more than that, around 500W I guess) with the PMCs just to see where those speakers could go with them without distortion but my ears did not say thank you for that .
This raises the fact that we often use very powerful amps while they are not needed. Most speakers deliver a very satisfying SPL in most rooms with only 10W.
It has been my experience that it must be easier to design highly musical low power amps than big ones. Actually, talking with a famous dealer in Paris who sells both huge amps and small ones ( Pass, Nagra, Leben...), we were both agreeing that great small amps ( lower than 60 to 80 W per channel) have a level of refinement and musicality that very few big ones can achieve.
Of course, you a not in that situation with the 2301's which are one of the best amps ever made, no matter the power.
But I am thinking of all the people using "average" quality big amps while they could use for the same investment, less powerful but more musical amps.

Sent from my iPad using A.Aficionado

[sanji]

Originally Posted by mbovaird

Thanks Sanji.....if you're ever in Sarasota Fl - come on over!

Thanks! I just might take you up on it.

[mbovaird]

Originally Posted by C220MC275

Congrats Mike ! Absolutely stunning !
You made a great write up.
I never heard seriously other Sonus Faber speakers than the GM but there are so many happy owners that I will try to set up an audition to be less stupid.
Your experience with the power delivered by the 2301's mirrors mine with both the Wilsons WP8 and the less efficient PMCs EB1i. Most of the time the listening was at 3 W and maybe twice a year I listened to them at 30 W. I tried sometimes peaks of 300W (actually the needles were showing more than that, around 500W I guess) with the PMCs just to see where those speakers could go with them without distortion but my ears did not say thank you for that .
This raises the fact that we often use very powerful amps while they are not needed. Most speakers deliver a very satisfying SPL in most rooms with only 10W.
It has been my experience that it must be easier to design highly musical low power amps than big ones. Actually, talking with a famous dealer in Paris who sells both huge amps and small ones ( Pass, Nagra, Leben...), we were both agreeing that great small amps ( lower than 60 to 80 W per channel) have a level of refinement and musicality that very few big ones can achieve.
Of course, you a not in that situation with the 2301's which are one of the best amps ever made, no matter the power.
But I am thinking of all the people using "average" quality big amps while they could use for the same investment, less powerful but more musical amps.

Sent from my iPad using A.Aficionado

Very good point and it all starts with setting the bar high for finding efficient speakers you love. What's the magic number? Well, it depends on a lot of variables, but for me it was 90db or better and preferably 92db or better. It doesn't mean everyone has to only audition horn speakers (there are many good ones though I might add), but we should almost be pushing speaker manufacturers to think about efficiency as much as they think about funky tweeter designs, crossover points, adjustability at the speaker itself, etc.

In the age of bohemoth SS amps, I think speaker manufacturers got lazy in this department. They all got fat, dumb and happy knowing we (their buyers) could always find more power. M&A activity in the industry only accelerated the process. "Only 90 watts sir? Well, 1000 watts is better and we just merged with Amp Co. A - they make a 1000 watt amp that's really classy!" In many cases, in gaining watts, we have lost some musicality. Some of these moderately powered Shindo, Cary, PrimaLuna, BAT, CJ, etc. are simply wonderful sounding amplifiers, but they need to be paired with efficient speakers.

I remember in the 80's, my Pereraux amps were the top of the food chain in the Pereraux line with a massive 100 watts/channel. Speaker manufacturers back then were forced to build speakers to be efficiently driven and they used MOSFETS to get the SS amps to sound more tube like. The new ModWright amps (especially the new 200 watt integrated) use MOSFETS. I will be interested to hear them as possibilities for my Family Room system.

Mike

[dteam702]

Mike,

Wow I totally missed this... Congratz!!!!

[mbovaird]

Originally Posted by dteam702

Mike,

Wow I totally missed this... Congratz!!!!

Thanks!!