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High end high quality int. amp for low level listening

Hello to all Audigon members.  I'm quite in a dilemma weather I should upgrade my amplifier. Currently I own Pathos classic one MK3 driving Sonus Faber Sonetto's speakers, and I must say I'm very happy with sound filling my 35 square meters room. However, it's known that the speakers are power hungry as they rated at 86db sensitivity and 4 ohm impedance and I think they will surely benefit from a bigger power supply. With all that being said I'm not sure if I will hear any improvement mostly because 90% of the time I listen at ~60dBs SPL. My budget is around 5k $ and these are the amplifiers I've been considering:  Hegel H390, Anthem STR, Cambridge Audio Edge A, McIntosh MA5300/MA252, Accuphase e280, Rotel Michi x3 or used Pass Labs INT 25, Mark Levinson 5805.

What do you think guys, will any of the amplifiers make ay difference at 60dB SPL ? 
celestial__sound
celestial__sound OP
102 posts
 
@holmz Thank you for your wise words. You remind me of person called 'jan.vigne'. He was a very knowledgeable hones and rational person active on stereophile and ecoustics forums (but sadly not here). 
petland
85 posts
 
Low level listening and having good sound at low volumes is way more complex than the power rating of the amp and I would disagree with the amount of power on hand being a useful metric.
Some speakers are "on song" at lower volumes better than others (Harbeth come to mind). Monitors with smallish drivers can take volume for the midbass to catch up to the rest of the frequency hence amps with a "bottom up" sonic signature like Pass are good choices there.

Some amps are poor at low level listening by design (most class D IMO) due to poorly designed input and driver stages typically.

Some cables, usually those with the lowest noise floor, have it all present at low volumes, Allnic comes to mind.

Many integrated amps, even some very expensive ones, can have sub-optimal preamp stages as well which is not ideal for low level listening.

A good consideration would be the Audia Flight FLS 10 listed here on Agon currently. If its anything like its sibling amp than it's a winner. Not likely they cut corners with the preamp stages in that integrated and the amp section is from the FLS 4 which is a stunner.


holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 
@holmz Thank you for your wise words. You remind me of person called 'jan.vigne'. He was a very knowledgeable hones and rational person active on stereophile and ecoustics forums (but sadly not here).

Well please send Jan my apologies for besmirching his/her fine name.

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mesch
3,530 posts
 
+1 holmz. The pathos integrated is a great, very smooth sounding amplifier and likely has the required power for the OP's circumstance. I think of the options offered the use of a simple tone control (such as the Loki or the Lokius) is the best option.

I once owned the Pathos Classic One MKII. Still have a Loki though not currently using it.  
jafant's avatar
jafant
20,535 posts
 
another +vote for Accuphase.

Happy Listening!
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