Best amp for Sonus Faber Amati Anniversario?

Hi Lloydelee,

Hope this email finds you well! And hope you might do me the favour of giving me your thoughts on something, I have had my system together now for nearly 2 years and still love it very much however thought it might be time to start thnking of the next update and wondered what you thought would be the best course. THe system as it stands is my Sonus Faber Amati Anni's 2 X Plinius SA-103 and the Tuato pre amp and Plinius CD 101, the system seems to suffer a but from mains polution so thought sometype of power regenerator might be the first step before any hardware upgrade but if you thought that might be a waste of time then would like to know too. Thanks as always Tim

Hi Tim,

Happy to help if i can. You have a very, very nice system and i can imagine it sounds great. A few questions:

1. why do u think you've got mains pollution? inconsistent sound depending on time of day? or just a general grain that you sense in your system?

2. To find the right upgrade path...the next question is...where would you like to have the sound be 'better'?

- even lower grain?
- greater dynamics?
- more 'magical midrange'?
- greater detail/decay?

Hi Lloydelee,

Thanks for your response. The sound quality of the system is very dependant on the time of day, dont get me wrong it alwasy sounds good however the magic generally only happens in the evening and I suspect this is in relation to the mains being cleaned up when appliances being turned off?

I would say improving the chrystaline quality of the mid range even further, sound staging and greater dynamics would be the my goal. Thanks Lloydelee have a great weekend! Cheers Tim

CNMeow,

I've gone back to read up on the Plinius pre and amp you have. Two suggestions to explore based on my own experience:

1. You could look into Nordost Thor which was spectacular and not crazy expensive. i would NOT use your Pass SA103 with it! Just your CD, source. The amp is far too powerful and it will blow.

Specifically, the Nordost lowers the noise, grunge level; it also makes the individual musical lines within, say, an orchestral piece both more delineated...but also better integrated. In other words, rather than a blur of musical lines...you will start to hear individual musical lines that ALSO have a clear interplay with the other musical lines. Dynamics changes only in that noise floor is lower.

2. If you are looking for a wholesale step up in midrange clarity but retaining your Plinius apparent beauty, and also improve soundtage and dynamics...i would say consider preamp upgrade. Lyra Connoisseur, ARC Ref 5, CJ ET5 perhaps.

Why? I have not heard your Plinius myself...i just know that i have begun to understand why some say the preamp is the heart of the system. Moreimportant than i first realized. i noticed going from CJ PC14L to ACT2...but fully appreciated when hearing GAT. Stunning increase in midrange, treble, extension, dynamics. and with your amp...you'll be able to push what ever signal comes thru effortlessly thru to some amazing transducers.

my two cents.

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