I've owned several SF speakers over the past 25 years. I've had a pair of SF Il Cremonese 7 years. Until recently I used Ayre's KX-R preamp and VX-R stereo Amplifier with very good results. Power & Speaker cables are Nordost Valhalla 2 and interconnects are AudioQuest Dragon [XLR]. I recently to decided to go "all digital", as I use my Aurender W20SE exclusively to play back music from its drive as well as streaming from Qobuz. So 2 months ago, I traded in the Ayres as well as my Luxman D-10x SACD player for a Soulution 760 DAC / Preamp, and Soulution 312 Stereo Amp. This change has been a revelation in terms of 3-dimensionality, soundstage width and height, and musicality. I was also very impressed by the 312's grip / control on the bass [deeper and tighter than the "on paper" more powerful Ayre]. I am in the process of swapping the 312 for the more powerful Soulution 511 stereo amp.
Sonus Faber Il Cremonese Amp Pairing suggestions
I'm a newbie and this is my first post on an audio forum. I got into the hobby a little over a year ago looking for the best combo for enjoying 2 channel stereo and home theater. Since then, I have upgraded my gear multiple times and now taking a huge leap on my front towers from Lumina V to Il Cremonese.
I'm currently running: Anthem STR stereo amplifier (600W/ch to 4ohm) powering Lumina V, AVM90, MCA 525 gen 2 5 channel powering Olympica Nova C2 center and Lumina II surrounds, Wireworld Equinox 8 speaker cables and silver eclipse XLR. I also have 2 JL E112 subs. The STR really brings the Luminva V to life with excellend imaging and clarity with a crossover at 100hz.
Although I love the DAC on the AVM90, I understand a stereo preamp/DAC is a superior solution in the future. I wanted to get the best speaker possible, then build my 2 channel around that by upgrading amps, speaker cables, and preamp.
I've been told that the STR amplifier isn't sufficient to enjoy the Il Cremonese like they should be played. The Mcintosh MC611 pair and Luxman M10X have both been suggested to be as a solution under $20k. I'm interested to hear if you think the STR would be a "laughable" pairing for the Il Cremonese? And what other suggestions you may have?
I really appreciate your feedback and time! I've enjoyed reading this forum for the past year, but haven't found any threads that exactly address my situation. Thank you!
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- 16 posts total
- 16 posts total