Good match with Sonus Faber Grand Pianos


Here is my current set-up:

Sonus Faber Grand Pianos (original version)
Linn Lk-140 amp
Linn K-400 bi-wire speaker cable
Linn Cinema Classik Source
Not set on ICs yet – think of Blue Haven or Red Dawn, but open to suggestions

I’m not sure if I need more power for these speakers. I plan to eventually sell the Cinema Classik although it is doing good double duty as a CD and DVD source. I’ve considered going tubes but my understanding is that I would have to get a pretty high powered tube amp so I might just go tube pre and keep with a SS amp. I eventually want to go to a Supratek Chennin but am holding off until I work up a good turntable project.

I need advice on the amp side or integrated amp side. Would I be better off adding an addition Lk-140 and biamping and then purchasing the pre-amp later along with a turntable? My other option would be to pick up a Simaudio I5 and a new digital source. This would require some more work on the phono side as the I5 doesn’t have a phono pre – also not sure if the total cost would be worth it. I would also have to change my speaker cables around but this wouldn’t be too tough.

I listen to jazz, reggae, rock, funk, blue grass, etc.

Your suggestions are appreciated.

Kindest regards,
Erik
erik_tolzmann
I bought the McIntosh MCD205 CD player and the McIntosh MA6900 Integrated amplifier for my Sonus Faber Grand Piano speakers (original version). The overall sound quality is excellent with my Sonus Faber Grand Piano speakers. The extra power plus the tube like quality of the MA6900 make these speakers really stand out. These speakers need high power to sound good. I was very suprised at how good it sounds (and so were my friends). cheers..
Hgeifman,
I also have the SF Grand Pianos, and they are powered by a 55 wpc Sonic Frontiers tube amplifier. I think the sound is pretty darn good. On what do you base your statement that these speakers need a lot of power? And how much power? Do you think I would benefit greatly from additional power? Curious.

Cheers
I switched from a 50wpc BOW Wazoo Integrated to the 200 wpc McIntosh MA6900 Integrated amp. Based on my conditions, my Sonus Faber Grand Piano Speakers sounded much better with the increased power. The bass was better and the overall sound quality was excellent to my ears (and several of my friends). Of course, it could of also been that the McIntosh integrated was better than the BOW Wazoo. My only point is you should listen to your speakers with several different amplifiers and make your own decision.
Same old replies from SF Grand Piano owners and I'll add one here myself. I own the GP's and have upgraded my amplification a couple of times before settling for the PLinius SA-100MkIII. I have used a Classe CAP-100 and ARC D130 on the GP's and they never sounded alive until I got the high-current Plinius. I would strongly urge you to get a considerably powerful amp to drive the GP's as they would definitely benefit from the increased power. I have never tried tube amps on the GP's but heard that they sound pretty darn good on them, but just make sure you feed the GP's with ample power.
I would backup your idea of bi-amping the SFs, you have a Linn based system, once you invite a new member to your rack you may need to change the rest of the components, avoid getting there IMO.

Fernando
I too own Sonus GP's, and found that more power is the way to go. When I first got into the high end audio market I powered my GP's with a rotel 1080 rated at 200 wpc. after a while i wanted and realized my speakers needed more power. I went with two classe ca-101's, and i run them as mono amps. According to the spec sheets, the amps are giving the GP's approx 500 wpc.......and I must say it was a HUGE improvement over what I was use to hearing. Much more detail, tighter sound, extended base, and bigger soundstage. That is my 2 cents worth of advice. Good luck to you with this.
Keith_316,
I have a rather naive question. The GPs recommend 50-250 watts power in the owners manual. Do you worry (does anybody worry?) about going at twice the recommended power? Just curious.
I have never run into a problem by providing too much power, I can't think of a time where I could stand to listen to it long enough to warrant all the power, but I have noticed that the extra oomph has helped add to detail, and fullness in the music.

One think that amazed me was a MCIntosh demonstration that i went to.....they demoed an amp for us, and asked the audience what we thougth the "wattage" was to reach the volumes we heard........one watt was loud!
Power requirements are dictated by the listener not the speaker. Some are happy with wattage in single digits and some can never feel they are getting enough even if they have few hundreds of watts. If the manufacturer says 50-250 they are not wrong, this is the range they specify for the speaker for differnt listeners. It also depends on the demands the room puts on the power requirements, large rooms and longer distance from speakers will require you to have a little more power compared to small room where you are up close to the speakers.

A friend of mine uses Unision Research Integrated amp and is very happy with it.
Just as a follow-up... I switched from a 55wpc amp to an 110wpc amp with the Sonus Fabers. BIG difference for the better. Much better control over the speakers.
I just came across this thread and am a little late to the party but very interesting. I use a Cary SLI-80 Integrated and run it in the 40Wx2 mode in my listening room. Maybe my room is not large enough but the Cary powers them effortlessly with nice dynamics, soundstaging, etc.

The Grand Piano Homes are 90dB 1w1m @ 6ohms if my memory serves me correct. I was never concerned about putting a larger amp with them. Smaller amps sound better in way IMO.

Chris
A friend of mine drives his Alon Adriana with a Cary 5 watt 2A3 amp in his 30 by 18 room and is not even bothered about going for a higher power amp. His speakers are 87dB stand mounters. Talk about power!
The_kid is right. 90db @ 6ohms. And my 55wpc amp did sound very good. I've learned, however, that input sensitivity ratings are not necessarily a good indicator that the speakers will be well-served by lower-power amps. Consider this... I have 5wpc S.E.T. amp. I can't even move the drivers on the GPs, but I can play my Paradigm Studio Reference 60's magnificently with it. Both are 90db.

Cheers.
The SF Concerto Grand Piano at 87dB are more difficult to drive than the GP HOMES. Bearing in mind the poster of this thread owns the original version of the GP's, a healthy dose of quality power is needed to drive those speakers. They sounded lame with and lifeless with the 100W Classe CAP-100 and even the ARC D130 which I've owned. Have not tried SET amps on the GP's though. Bottomline power does matter
With the SF GPs I found the "more power" solution to change the character of the speakers and my involvement in music to such a significant degree that I have to fall in line with the other "more power" recommendations. I bridge a Bel Canto Evo4, and with the Bel Canto preamp the sound locks me into my chair and pauses time. Happy listening.