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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
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
20,502 posts
 
another +vote for Accuphase.

Happy Listening!
holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 
The pathos integrated is a great, very smooth sounding amplifier and likely has the required power for the OP's circumstance.

I am still trying to work out the OP and their circumstance…



I listened to some music today at 65, 75 and 85 dB. It all sounded good, but the lower 65 dB could use some tone control.
ditusa's avatar
ditusa
2,158 posts
 
@celestial__sound 
''because 90% of the time I listen at ~60dBs SPL.''

At 60dB SPL your speakers are not getting 1 watt or 2 watts or 10 watts, in fact they are not even getting 1/2 watt. At 60dB SPL your speakers are getting milliwatts from the amp. In my experience driving low efficiency speakers with milliwatts they will sound anemic at low volume; high efficiency speakers can play well with milliwatts and not sound anemic at low volume. Also amplifiers, tube amplifiers for sure, produce more distortion in lower impedances then higher impedances. That's why I said higher efficiency and higher impedance speakers make more sense then a more powerful amp.
Hope that helps...

dcevans
181 posts
 
+1  @ditusa 

The Pathos is a great integrated amp... but it is a poor pairing with high impedance low efficiency speakers, as the OP stated in the original post.  You have a choice — keep it and get 8 ohm or greater speakers with a sensitivity of ideally 92 dB/1 m or greater (having subs in the mix will lessen the load on the amp and allow lesser sensitivity) —- or get a high wattage solid state integrated amp to go with the Sonus Fabers.  Hegel would be a good choice  

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