Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII. According to the manufacturers or dealer reps all of the amps will work fine with the speakers, some likely better than others. How each will sound is a subjective matter. I'm more interested in objective problems with the amps. Noisy volume controls, excessive parts wear, premature breakdowns, problems with getting service, etc.
Final Decision On An Integrated Amp
I'm finally at the point of selecting an integrated amp to replace the old Prima Luna Dialogue One. I've narrowed the field to the following:
- Conrad Johnson CAV-45
- Modwright KWH-225i
- Octave V40
- Raven Osprey
- Jadis Orchestra Black
I've read plenty of reviews on them and sifted through posts on Audiogon and elsewhere, both good and bad, and it seems like a decent lot of gear. They are all within my $5000 to $6000 budget (the Modwright is over my budget, but not by much). And nearly all have a home trial period, though I can't do it for them all since return shipping and credit card fees will eat up my budget. Each has things I like and want, but none have everything I desire. None are perfect.
What I'm trying to find out is if there is some unwritten cautionary story about any one of them. I'd hate to find out too late that one is prone to burning out this part, something else prematurely fails, there is a problem getting service, etc. Does anyone have a negative experience with these or something that went seriously wrong?
Thanks,
John Cotner
New Ulm, MN
8 responses Add your response
| Post removed |
I don't believe Jadis has a US service center... so any repairs may require shipping them back to France. Also the "Black" version of the Jadis Orchestra uses cheaper third party transformers, unlike the better Jadis amps using transformers built in house. You'll get a lot more bang for your buck if you buy "used" from Audiogon or US Audiomart... just buy a brand that has a good reputation, preferably with point to point wiring and ability to service in the US. Also it looks like the Sonetto's (88 dB / 4 ohm) could benefit from a little more power than most of the amps on your list, with the exception of the Modwright. I'd want at least 80 wpc for a tube amp with those speakers. Just quickly perusing the classifieds... here are some integrateds for your consideration:
|
Thank you for the input. I wasn't sure if Jadis had a U.S. service center or not. That is certainly a strike against it. I'm leaning toward the Modwright for the reasons you cited. However, I'm not sure if it will be "tubey" enough for me. I listened to the Mac when I tried out my speakers and didn't care for it. I had considered the Rogue but opted out due to a lot of posts which described it as more for rock and roll than detail and nuance. |
I recommend the Cary SLI-80HS as @pdreher mentioned. I've owned the SLI-80 F-1 and after years away just bought another - it's that good. I've owned the Audio Research vsi55 and the original Cronus Magnum and they're not even close. It's better than separates that cost much more I've been there too. In triode mode 40wpc in class A is sublime w/the right speakers tube goodness galore. The current sale ends this comingTuesday save 1500 beans. Good luck |
Agree completely on the Cary SLI 80HS. I’ve had mine for about a year, bought from Cary Direct during a sale. Had all of the modifications except the better binding posts, (which I kick myself now for not adding)... I have it paired with Volti Razz, and they make a great match. From what I hear and remember, Cary is excellent with customer support. I listened to a couple integrated offerings from Black Ice at the Florida Expo earlier this year and they were impressive, (in the brief listening sessions) Another contender might be Margules, either the new ACRH 4 (hybrid) or the I240. I have an ACRH 3 and it’s great. Had a Rogue Atlas 3 with a Rogue RP-1. pretty powerful and dynamic, but noisy. Funny thing was when I had the Atlas 3 paired with an old NAD pre-amp, it was dead quiet. |
