Sonus Faber needs power if you are using solid state. They are easily driven by tube amps. I am using 70 wpc with my Audio Research Ref 160s (triode mode). They sound fantastic at low volumes and can play without compression or loss of dynamics to crazy loud volumes > 95db. Most are 90db efficient. I have hear Olympica Nova 3 with an Audio Research i50 (50wpc) … sounds fantastic.
Sonus Faber Question
I spent (wasted?) a lot of time switching amplifiers in and out of my system, never quite achieving the sound I was chasing. There were a lot of sideways moves. Then I purchased a demo pair of Sonus Faber Sonetto III's. After playing these through my system I finally feel I'm headed in the right direction. This speaker sound signature is the type of sound I've been seeking out. However, I get the feeling these speakers are really just scratching the surface of what Sonus Faber can offer. Unfortunately, I'm not independently wealthy. So the question is what speaker would you recommend as the next appreciable step up to capture more of the Sonus Faber essence / what should I expect to have to pay on the used market to get there? Thanks in advance!
Current Equipment:
Sonus Faber Sonetto III's
HiFi Rose RS250A
Denafrips Pontus II 12th
Rega P6, Neo PSU w/ Hana low MC
Rega Phono Pre
PrimaLuna Evo 300 Integrated
Kimber Cable Cables, Interconnects, Etc.
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- 47 posts total
@ghdprentice Since you heard the i50 with the Olympica Nova 3 and liked the result would you think my PrimaLuna Evo 300 would pair well with the Olympica 3? I know you it was the Olympica Nova 3 with the i50 (and I know PrimaLuna isn't Audio Research) but as they are both tube integrateds at similar price points and the speakers are the same line (albeit at different evolutions) would you think the pairing would make sense as there are a lot of similarities, it seems (PrimaLuna Evo300 with Olympica 3)? |
@jdm11 , Stillpoints Aperture II panels are on expensive side but you need just a few of them instead of covering most of the walls and ceilings with cheaper and uglier diffusers and absorbers. At the end you are not spending more because you'll need just a few panels. WAF is a big plus also. Give a call to Stillpoints for a free consultation - even if you are not going with their product, they will share a wealth of the room acoustic- related information with you: very educational.
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@jdm11 , SF Olympica series are basically successor of former Cremona line and are priced accordingly, somewhere in the middle of SF range. Olympica 3' price was around 12t eur in Europe when it was launched, very close to the Guarneri Evolution (around 15t eur, with the stands) which was part of the same generation of speakers (in terms of date of production). Aldo some can object to the very notion of 'monitor' speakers (to be equal or better than standmount) it is generally considered among SF fans that Guarneri is 'better' product, or at least was made with that intention.The US importer of SF obviously thinks that way, as he has put hefty price on GE, making it some 10t usd more expensive than O3 (in europe that difference is perhaps 3t) Anyway, if speaking only about the speakers and if you can find them similarly priced, Guarneri is more refined product of higher quality. It will have less bass (which in smaller rooms might be an advantage), but 'more' of everything else. Depending on music that you listen (jazz or classical for example), you should enjoy it more. It will 'demand' higher quality electronics to show its best, must be said. At the end, it all depends how demanding you are. Olympica 3 is a great allrounder, but if you wish something more, or something 'special', I would look at other solutions, including ones from Franco Serblin's new company, that I have mentioned before. Last, but not least, imho all SF benefits from amps that have more power. They can work with tube amps, but are not build with intention to be paired with them. https://www.atma-sphere.com/en/resources-paradigms-in-amplifier-design.html |
- 47 posts total