Amplifier for Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage

I use an OTL tubed amp with my Guarneri's to wonderful effect. It's a very unique design that i could not do justice to hear, just suffice it to say it only has 10 tubes total (only 4 output tubes), and runs only as hot as a light bulb; oh, and it weighs 10# and fits on any rack since it's diminuitive. Moreover, SF uses this amp in their test room (see recent stereophile review of the Stradavari, it's confirmed there).

Of course I am referring to the David Berning ZH270. I tried a Ayve V-5x for a while, than an AR VT100 MK III, then a whole bunch of tubed amps including atma sphere, Bel Canto and VTL. Finally I found out SF uses the Berning in their test room, and that was good enough for me to look into it, esp since I was really fond of the OTL's I had heard (though i was less enthused by the heat and size).

It's extraordinary with my Guarneri's goose-bump city!

samcon,
what size of room d'u have?

what is the ideling wattage of Graaf gm200?

40 tubes per amp may probably easily get worm 900 sqf room in sub-zero winter!

After many months of auditioning amps for the Guarneri's I have found the most incredible sounding amp for these wonderful speakers. It is the Graaf GM200, output transformerless and output capacitorless. 32 tubes on the output stage and eight tubes handle other various functions. 200 watts per channel. The most musically realistic sounding amp ever. With this amp you peer deeply into the recordings innermost musical structure. Wide deep soundstage, bass is layered, brass is full and rich, voices are hauntingly real. The details are marvelous.
If you own a pair of Guarneri's you must hear this amp.

Cyrus cd + tuner
Graaf 13.5b preamp
Graaf gm200
Sonus faber guarneri,s
Kimber select black pearl silver wiring

I'm actually running my Guarneri's with the MF Tri-Vista and have been very pleased over the last 2 years.

This replaced my combo of ARC LS22 pre with Mark Levinson ML3 power amp - a combo that I kept for years without hearing anything making me feel the need to change.
When I moved to Japan, I needed to replace them with something more compact (the ML is a monster !) and decided one of the better integrateds was the way to go.

I tested the offerings from Jeff Rowland, Levinson, Krell Chord, Gryphon and none had the right combination of liquidity and control of the MF.
This was a surprise as I was very much predisposed towards the ML !!

I tested YBA 1, YBA integrated, AR VSi55, Copland, Shanling stp80, unison s2, unison unico i and others.
The best sounding system I found was the Graaf 13.5B II tube preamp with Graaf GM20 otl ocl (a little expensive, but worth it), this system is very accurate, quiet, smooth realistic vocals, strings, bass strings. It is magical sounding (no transformers, no capacitors) this is about as direct as it gets. If your room is large, buy the GM200 you will appreciate the extra watts, I am listening at low volumes nearfield in a 10x11 office. I have ordered the Graaf GM200 for another system, this should be amazing.
Graaf is made in Modena Italy near Ferrari, they use the best materials in there hand built instruments. I had 4 audiophiles with me when I first hooked up this amp and they told me that they had never heard an amp so transparent and smooth, after a few hours of course the ss guys when against the tube guys as usual, but even the ss guys were impressed with the delicacy of female vocals and strings. If I listened to the system louder I would run the GM20 in mono (I hear they are spectacular). It runs hot, but that is a small price to pay for that warm tube sound. My Guarneri's sing with this wonderful amp. Another collectible just like the Guarneri's.

I used mccormack dna dlx for some time, after AR vt100 mk2, and now gamut d200 mk3- the best I heard, I think that SF guanier sound sweet with a lot of amplifiers, but gamut is the best I heard, I do not think tubes are better with SF guarniere( many others thinks that tube are friend of SFG) they are only diferent, and to me gamut has more bass , sweet medios, and soft silky hihgs.I think SF guarniere is a fantastic speaker.

what about the sonus faber musica integrated amp? - 50w/ch into 8 ohms &
100w/ch into 4 ohms. no remote, no balance control, no phase switch. is it just nice looking, or is sonus faber up to something here?

Can't say anything of Trivista models of MF but all previous models seems to me too much overrated and do not correspond to the real power ratings.

I guess that the budget choice should be McCormack separates such as DNA2 with TLC or any passive preamp or Bryston monoblocks that could be successfully driven with the same McCormack passive pre.

Another way is Plinius separates that is underrated with their current and power delivery capabilities that could drive anything that is currently produced for instance even Plinius SA102.

You can go tube way such as VTLMB180 that is stable to 2Ohm loads but may lack bass but with super mids and highs clarity and overall soundstaging and resolution.

MF Trivista SACD and Trivista integrated amp are top models of Musical Fidelity company. I hope that two little monsters kick ass of Guarneri Homage.
If you have oportunity to test these things, please test them. I really do not know how they will matc to speakers.
Let it try and take some time to your testing equipments...
Go to MF page and see all specifications of little monsters (TRIVISTA MODELS)
ALAIN

Alain, so I would suspect that the Musical Fidelity Trivista SACD player and untegrated amp would also be a good match?

I have Musical Fidelity A308 with CD player MF CD308. Very good match and interconection cable Van den hul The first ultimate and speakers cables Kimber 8TC.
Now I am finnally hear what music is...
ALAIN