Integrated amp for my Sonus Faber Guarneri

How about the McIntosh MA6800? At 150 W/channel it is 50W/channel less than the MA6900. Is it powerful enough to do the Guarneris justice?

I found an MA6800 nearby in excellent condition, and am tempted to take it home based on many recs for the MA6900. The latter is harder to find where I live and much more expensive.

I just got a pair of Guarneris last Friday, and need to find a good amp to drive them quickly. Wifey is unimpressed with their sound, driven temporarily by my 50 W classic Luxman SS amps. I need to change her thinking right away.

Sorry about the double post. It was unintended. I only refreshed my browser.

Hi D-I-L-Eye,

I owned the Guarneris for years and upgraded to STrads a few years ago. I know many owners love Mcintosh with Guarneris. However, i will also say placement of the speakers is very important here. Your Luxman amp is quite good by reputation (i've not heard it)...and while the Guarneris will use greater power well...i would say they react better to higher quality mid-level power than to mid-quality high power.

I also would ask...what do you/your wife think the Guarneris are missing? when dialed in right, they have a unique "magic" that most find very engaging. they will never produce prodigious bass. if you can explain in more detail, happy to share my 2 cents. they are a truly great speaker amongst a pantheon of great speakers.

I have my Guarneri's paired with ASL 1009 mono's which are rated at 60 watts and have never left my Guarneri's wanting more in a 19' x 13' room. I agree wholeheartedly with Lloyd that they are best mated to "higher quality mid-level power". I think 50-100 watts of tube power power is plenty, I would get something slightly on the warm and sweet side. I think they are not too hard to mate, and there are a plethora of choices in the mid-power tube amp market, have fun the Guarneri with a nice tube amp has been pure bliss for me.

Lloyd asked what you're wife thought was missing? I will boldly predict that paired with solid state amplificaton they perhaps sounded a touch thin and dry...

well, i thought one of the obvious solutions would have to be the berning zh270, nowadays unavailable, so it would have to be the zh230. if serblin used it to design it (at least the original guarneri, which i had before my merlins), why not you?
egidius