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  #11  
Old 04-04-2015, 11:05 AM
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Apexorca Apexorca is offline
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Originally Posted by RLF View Post
I own an Audio Research 75 amp. I am considering the Amati Futura with it. Does anyone here have first hand listening experience with both products in their room and if the Ref 75 has enough juice to drive it at sufficient levels with adequate low frequency impact and dynamics?
I'v heard it several times with SF Amati Futura and also with The SF. And I'am really surprised how good it works with these speakers. I't plays bigger than it is and also sounds more expensive than it is.
A good choice chosen by the ear and remember that everything is not just figures.

The old truth about that SF needs more power than other speakers and then performed outstanding is not that true anymore. They performs well nowadays with less power than former models.
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Last edited by Apexorca; 04-04-2015 at 11:10 AM.
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  #12  
Old 04-04-2015, 06:18 PM
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Originally Posted by cmalak View Post
Bob...Dan's response is spot on and your plan to take the Ref 75 to demo it with the Futuras is the right thing to do. If you can swing it, take your VX-5 as well to compare the two amps. My guess is you will find the Ref 75 will do quite nicely in areas of timbre, resolution, imaging and spatial cues but will have a tougher time with bass depth and more importantly articulation as well as macro dynamics. The VX-5 will probably beat the Ref 75 on those two dimensions but may underwhelm on the ARC's strengths. You can also see if your dealer has a more powerful ARC or other tube amp (but again the key here will not be power rating but current throughput - amperage - given the difficult load). You really want an amp that is stable into 2 ohms and probably the auto former on the Mac amps will give them the edge vs. other tube amps. More likely though will be the need for a SS amp that keeps on doubling power as impedance is halved and is stable into a 2 ohm load. Perhaps the dealer will have some other options for you to consider (maybe try out a Class A SS design as an example). Good luck and let us know how you make out.

Cyril. Thank you for your additional thoughts. With my large ProAcs I do find that the attributes that you allude to are pretty much what I expect with regards to the differences in the 2 amps. My main concern is that the Ref 75 will not be enough to drive the SF to its full potential.

My dealer carries both ARC and Ayre so a direct comparison should not be a problem.

When my Ref 75 was delivered and set up by my dealer, he took my Ayre away to send back to Ayre for the Twenty upgrade. Therefore, I did not get to compare them directly, had to resort to acoustical memory. I did find that after about 100 hours on it, my Ref 75 has been pretty special in the midrange, timbre, resolution, and spacial cues which are the very things that you mention above. While the bass was not quite as pronounced as with the Ayre, it did quite a good job on my easy to drive ProAcs.


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Originally Posted by metaphacts View Post

I've heard the combo extensively. I love the REF75 but depending on music and room, it's just not enough for Futuras. Maybe the KT150s help that but I've heard REF250s not being enough in a big room with large scale classical works. With the engaging beauty of the ARC/ Sonus combination, the inability to scale dynamics can be frustrating.
As I noted above, that is my main concern.

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Originally Posted by Apexorca View Post

The old truth about that SF needs more power than other speakers and then performed outstanding is not that true anymore. They performs well nowadays with less power than former models.
I did audition the SF Olympica III with the Ref 75. While the Ref 75 appeared to drive it quite well in the dealer's room, I was not all that impressed with the sound in comparison to my ProAcs. I would imagine that the Futura is in a different league though and from the specs does not look any more difficult to drive than the Olympica III
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  #13  
Old 04-04-2015, 06:48 PM
bigblue bigblue is offline
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I have heard the Ref 75 with The Sonus Faber at moderate levels in a 4x5 meter room and it played beautifully. At those levels I could not detect any lack of bass control.

Generally speaking is there a type of amps (A, A/B, D) that is better at handling low impedance, or is it how each manufacturer has built its machine?
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  #14  
Old 04-17-2015, 03:45 AM
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Thanks to all of you who replied to this thread who gave useful and helpful information on mating the Futura with the Ref 75 SE. It has helped me glean insight on the pairing of SF with ARC as well as matching other amplifiers with this speaker.

If and when I audition this pair, I will report back.

Again thanks!

Bob
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  #15  
Old 04-17-2015, 03:40 PM
flang flang is offline
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The new 75 SE is in the House Since One week and I can only say that the SE is a Big improvement to the 75 !
Also we Had in my Room a Big Hearing Session also comparing the 75 SE to a ref 150 - not a SE !!! - we make it blind with the Same Sound Level and from 10 Times the 75 SE was 6 Times better as the 150 - so the result was that Nobody of this 2 wonderfull amplifier was better! Also my 75 SE has only 50 Hours !
I am very happy and For me no Sense to Change For more power!
Greetings
Franz
AR 75 SE
AR 40 Anniversary
AR CD 8
Thorens 124 with SME 3012 and LPS
Sonus Faber FUTURA
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  #16  
Old 04-17-2015, 06:21 PM
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That's very encouraging news. I hope to have mine back in the next week or so .
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  #17  
Old 06-08-2015, 12:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RLF View Post
I own an Audio Research 75 amp. I am considering the Amati Futura with it. Does anyone here have first hand listening experience with both products in their room and if the Ref 75 has enough juice to drive it at sufficient levels with adequate low frequency impact and dynamics?

I've read that it takes that some serious power to get the Futuras really singing, but have read the opposite too. I will try to get an audition of this combination at my dealer, but was curious what other owners of Futuras have found.

BTW, my current large ProAc D80 speakers, rated at 4 ohms and 91 dB sensitivity are driven by my Ref 75 with amazing power, bass, and slam my 28'x14'x8' room. My listening chair is about 9 feet from my speakers.

Thanks.

Bob
UPDATE:

My dealer was kind enough to set up their Futura using a Standard Ref 75 (non-SE) for me to audition using my own music. The sound was very good, but compared to my Ref 75SE driving my large ProAcs the bass was not as strong. Since my dealer does not yet have the SE version of the Ref 75, it was suggested that I bring in my 75 SE for another audition. My dealer also has the Ayre XV-5 Twenty in stock. During another audition, I will see how that amp mates with the Amati Futura. I suspect that the Ayre will dig deeper, but as some have stated above it probably won't give all the magic of the ARC Ref 75 which is so special to my ears.

On another note, the SF Amati Futura is the most beautiul looking speaker that I have ever laid my eyes on. Pictures cannot do it justice.

I wish that I could bring home the demo Amati Futuras to try in my own room and system. I do have an asymmetrical front wall with the right soeaker closer to the wall than the left. I don't know if that might present a problem with the Futura? Since my ProAcs are ported from the bottom, placement is relative easy compared to some speakers. Since my listening room is a multipurpose room, I have limited placement options.

Does anyone here who own Amari Futuras find that they are fussy about placement?

Thanks to all that have replied and the helpful info provided.

Bob
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  #18  
Old 06-09-2015, 03:25 AM
joey_v joey_v is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RLF View Post
UPDATE:

On another note, the SF Amati Futura is the most beautiul looking speaker that I have ever laid my eyes on. Pictures cannot do it justice.

Bob
Bob,

What was the color of the Futuras? Red or graphite or walnut?
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  #19  
Old 06-09-2015, 12:44 PM
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Joey,

They were red violin. Stunning looking!!

Bob
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  #20  
Old 06-09-2015, 02:35 PM
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Joey,

They were red violin. Stunning looking!!

Bob
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