Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors/Cremona - Integ Amp

I am confused by the Jeff Rowland / Sonus Faber Auditor remarks indicating "cold, cold, cold". I wonder what the problem really was. I use the Ayre C5xe, JR concerto, SF Auditors & REL B-3. All interconnects, speaker cables and power cords are Cardas Golden reference. Power conditioning by PS Audio P500 with the UPC 200 as a pre-filter. Warm, detailed, musical, lots of air, all one looks for in hi fi.

The Rowland amps are quite lifeless, but clean. Sterile, dry, toneless. I am characterizing this relatively. They particularly sound this way into 4 ohm speakers. I have heard JR on Cremona Auditors and thought the resulting sound lacked body, tone, and dynamic expression. It just didn't sound like music, which I know the Auditors are capable of. In an integrated, the Mac MA6900 is far better for that speaker.

Phil

Phil, I auditioned the Mac. I bought the Rowland. I am not gettting the results you describe. Perhaps its your front end or cables creating your problem.

I was using a Pass Labs X-1 linestage and VAC PA-160 MkII power amps. The VAC's were run with 6CA7 output tubes in triode. In truth, I could use a bit more power but the sound was all you could ask for.

I have owned Cremonas and Auditors together and still have the latter and have used the SF Musica and Pathos Classic 1 Mk2 which were excellent, but by far the most enjoyable for me to date with these two speakers has been the Unison Research Performance intergrated.