Cary SLI-80 integrated amp would be the better choice for those Sonus Faber Venera 2.5 speakers, IMHO.
I had speakers with about the same measurements as yours, and tried one of Dennis' KT88 Fire Bottle SEP (Single Ended Pentode) amps. I really wanted to like it because it was so conveniently small, and inexpensive and I thought it would mate well with my Had designed Cary SLP-98P F1 preamp. However, it did not turn out well at all. Soundstage was very compressed sounding and rolled off sounding on highs and lows.
Dennis was very helpful, and did send me quite a few tubes to try to help open it up. In the end, nothing seemed to work. Dennis is a great guy though, and has an infectious love of this hobby. He did refund my money, so I have no qualms.
I did read of others who loved the amp, some with speakers that were even more difficult loads than mine (90 dB, 8 ohm). This is a strange hobby indeed.
I had speakers with about the same measurements as yours, and tried one of Dennis' KT88 Fire Bottle SEP (Single Ended Pentode) amps. I really wanted to like it because it was so conveniently small, and inexpensive and I thought it would mate well with my Had designed Cary SLP-98P F1 preamp. However, it did not turn out well at all. Soundstage was very compressed sounding and rolled off sounding on highs and lows.
Dennis was very helpful, and did send me quite a few tubes to try to help open it up. In the end, nothing seemed to work. Dennis is a great guy though, and has an infectious love of this hobby. He did refund my money, so I have no qualms.
I did read of others who loved the amp, some with speakers that were even more difficult loads than mine (90 dB, 8 ohm). This is a strange hobby indeed.