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Amps for Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage

I have a pair of Stradivaris that I love, but I´m having a little trouble finding the right amps for them. My system consists of: Emmlabs CDSA SE latest version, Clearaudio Champion Level two/ SME V/ Benz Ruby, ARC REF3, MSB 202 monos.
I have driven the speakers with a set of Pass XA 100.5 before, but they sounded compresed quite quickly. The MSB´s offer more power than the 100.5´s and sound more detailed and airy, but also leaner and brighter.
I love detail and air, but I also crawe bass slam and body in the midths and highs. I absolutly hate lean and bright sound, no matter how detailed it might bee.
I have owned quite a lot of Krell gear in the past. I liked the bass of the ols stuf like the KSA s series + the first FPB stuff. The rest of the frequency range however, sounded rough and "solid state" to me. I liked the detail of the MCX 450´s, but they sounded to lean in the low frequences to me. I have tried tube amps as well, but I have not yet found a pair that did´nt sound like tubes in the bass region
So I am dreaming of a set of amps that delivers a full bodied, warm but detailed sound with bass slam and bass detail as well.
Any recomendations ?
NB: English is not my native language, so I hope for your understanding if my spelling is off !
0461
johnb30
25 posts
 
My power XA160.5 got about 450 hours and it sounds great. At this moment i'm thinking to change my pre from REF3 to REF 40th Anniversary. Does anyone ever heard this pre in this combination ( SF Stradivari + XA160.5 + ARC REF 40th) ?
onemug
784 posts
 
Johnb30, haven't that exact combo but would opine:

I have the XA100.5's. I believe a lot in preamps. I matched up a Conrad Johnson ART 3 with them and the combo produces a sound that is the best I've heard. I have a lot of respect for AR's preamps and would imagine the REF 40 would be excellent with your 160.5's. They deserve the best pre you can put in front of them.
lloydelee21
1,202 posts
 
I agree with Onemug. i have heard the Ref 5 and 3 extensively...in fact, just helped someone dial in a system with Ref 5 just yesterday. also have spoken with 2 people...one owns REf 40 yesterday. the other owns Ref 5 with Pass...and loves it. by all accounts i have seen/read/spoken to, the Ref 40 surpasses the 5 by a wide margin...whereas there are differences of opinion beteen ref 3 vs 5. some say great difference...many say improvement but not enough to trade up. good luck...but again i think that will be a world-class combination.
downunder
1,329 posts
 
Onemug

How do you find the cj ART3 coupled with the XA100.5's? What did you have before?

I have the ART3 and I am happy with my cj prem8a's with teflon caps, however always wondering whether I will gain the additional bass control/slamm without loosing too much in the mid and top end, especially tonality and tube amp depth.

cheers
onemug
784 posts
 
Downunder,

The 100.5's drive Maggie 3.6's. With the ART 3 in front of the Pass, I find it very easy to listen to, smooth and excellent low level detail. This is coming from a guy who loves SET/300b amps (have them in another system). I had Mac 1000 monoblocks before the Pass.

Those 8a's with the teflon caps must be nice driving your Strads. Never had a chance to listen to 8a's. I'd say the Pass gives up a little to what my 300b's can do in the mid/upper range (with the right speaker) but it's just a matter of the best amp for the the job and the Pass is it for my Mags. Regarding bass, with the Pass I can feel the low notes fluttering against me rather than just a "one note" pound. I didn't get that with the Mac's even with their 1000 watts.
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