Downsizing from Ayre MX-R monoblocks

Oh, we also auditioned Cardas Cross speaker wire. But the Audio Magic was the ticket!

A new system is a new system and you will be disappointed if you try to recreate something you had before. You're better off accepting your new system for what it is and try to maximize its strengths. The Sonus Fabers are an excellent choice and I don't think you really have to worry about upgrading them anytime soon. Because they are relatively easy to drive you have many choices. Krell, McIntosh, Plinius, YBA or Rowland would all work well, but I'm going to recommend the Pass and the Sugden integrateds. The Pass gives you the option of choosing between a lower wattage pure class A design or a higher wattage class A/B model. Sugden offers three different pure class A models.

A good friend & audio bud bought a pair of Sonus Faber Electa Amator II's almost 4 yrs. ago & wound up making them part of his main system, replacing Aerial 10T's.

He started out w/a BAT combo which sounded great but moved around the gear from his other system and currently is running a big MAC SS amp & Hovland preamp. Although I haven't heard this latest iteration (he moved out of state), we both have very similar tastes when it comes to the overall sound we're trying to achieve. This combo has proven to be the best so far, beating out Pass 350, Blue Circle Despina, First Sound Presence Deluxe mkll & a BC amp that burned up (reason unknown).

How about the Audio Research DSi200, it has recieved some goor reviews and from what I have heard of it in my dealers system, it sounds pretty damn good. Not sure about the synergy with Sonus Faber but it sounds great with Wilson Sophias and Vandersteen Quattros. Just a thought.

The Edge G3 is one of my favorite SS integrateds. Really floated images nicely particularly vocals, though I do not have first hand knowledge of synergy with Sonus Faber. I used with Mini Utopias with great success but ultimately preferred tubes, but great none the less. Good luck.