Integrated amp for my Sonus Faber Guarneri


Need a good advise here since the possibility of listen before i buy is limited. No hard-rock fan, else all kind of music. On my short list at the moment are Pathos (Classic), Sugden, BAT, Creek, Edge, Lavardin, CJ.
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DILE - i think Daveyf's words are wise. the GH's will "stiffen up" if exposed to brittle SS sound, even if the tube pre helps. if u go with SS, just watch for this when you audition. this is why i was fortunate to have a few people recommend Gryphon which i found s/hand. i remembering hearing older Mark Levinson, perhaps some of the cj SS...i compared their older line (before premier 350) directly to tube mv60...and mv60 won but the SS stuff was pretty good. i respected premier 350 a lot but did not A/B...if you can find one s/hand, these all might be worth auditioning.

on tube side, if you end up with cjmv60, that is a great combination...i have heard mv60se feels much more powerful...closer to 100 watts than its rated 60-70. i owned this combination for years. good luck!
How about a Balanced Audio Technol VK32SE tube preamp?
About the same price as the McIntosh C2200, said to be in excellent condition.
D.i.l.e--- I have heard most of the BAT preamps, including the 32SE. I think that the 32SE would be a much better match to the GH's than the C2200. YMMV.
Audition with your amp first if possible.
The Mac 2200 is a fine tube pre, I owned one for years, and but I have a feeling the BAT might be the best in your case. Sounds like you have a shot at one. Another rec would be something in the CJ line. I'm using one of their ART's now with the GH. Of course, demo if you can.
FWIW, i also concur with Daveyf and Onemug about the positives of BAT. you might find it more precise and transparent-sounding imho than Mc while still delivering the beauty of tubes. Both are good options though and system matching (to your ear) are critical here. let us know how it goes! good luck and enjoy,