@arafiq Thanks for the feedback on your visit. Given you are so close I would also want to make the comparison between amps prior to making a purchase. Actually given the power need of your speakers, I am not sure the 30 watts would be enough. Dipping below 2 ohms would concern me.
Integrated amp suggestion for Sonus Faber Olympica 2
I recently acquired a used pair of SF Olympica 2s. The speakers are currently driven by Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II and placed in the media room which is roughly 20 x 15, carpeted, no windows. Although, I enjoy the sound quality overall, I get this nagging feeling that perhaps the Cronus Magnum (100 w) is not providing enough juice to drive the speakers well. The soundstage width and depth are not as good as I thought they would be, and I can sense that the amp is not able to drive the woofers to their full potential. BTW, I swapped to 4 ohm taps, and while it did result in an improvement, it’s still not enough.
I know this because I’ve heard the same speakers at a dealer and a friend’s house driven by more powerful amps, Audio Research and Pass Labs respectively. And yes, I understand the room plays a big part but even then I think good upstream amplification makes a big difference for these speakers.
Ive been searching the internet but it seems most suggestions are specific to Olympica 3, which is not considered an easy load by any means. I’m not sure how the 2’s compare with respect to power requirements -- are they more or less demanding than the 3’s? I would love to hear from folks who either own O2s or have heard it driven by good electronics that can make the speakers shine.
I’ve been told that SS is the way to go with these speakers. But truth be told, it will be hard to give up the tube qualities that I love -- air, instrument separation, three dimensional, holographic sound and heft. From what I gather, if I want the same qualities in SS, I have to spend major bucks. My max is around $5k, preferably used to get the best value.
I have been considering McIntosh MA352 (used) given that they are a hybrid design. Would love to hear from someone who has paired the O2s with this particular amp. Of course, I’m open to other options, SS or tubes, if they are able to drive the olympica’s to their full potential and still check all the sound quality boxes that are important to me. My budget is $5k used. Thank you.
I know this because I’ve heard the same speakers at a dealer and a friend’s house driven by more powerful amps, Audio Research and Pass Labs respectively. And yes, I understand the room plays a big part but even then I think good upstream amplification makes a big difference for these speakers.
Ive been searching the internet but it seems most suggestions are specific to Olympica 3, which is not considered an easy load by any means. I’m not sure how the 2’s compare with respect to power requirements -- are they more or less demanding than the 3’s? I would love to hear from folks who either own O2s or have heard it driven by good electronics that can make the speakers shine.
I’ve been told that SS is the way to go with these speakers. But truth be told, it will be hard to give up the tube qualities that I love -- air, instrument separation, three dimensional, holographic sound and heft. From what I gather, if I want the same qualities in SS, I have to spend major bucks. My max is around $5k, preferably used to get the best value.
I have been considering McIntosh MA352 (used) given that they are a hybrid design. Would love to hear from someone who has paired the O2s with this particular amp. Of course, I’m open to other options, SS or tubes, if they are able to drive the olympica’s to their full potential and still check all the sound quality boxes that are important to me. My budget is $5k used. Thank you.
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- 19 posts total
Year+ later...did you decide on an amp for they OLY Nova II? We are buying these speakers and am in a similar situation, except that with the supply chain issue, we have few options for trying them out with a bunch of amps. We heard them with 600W of McIntosh dual amps, not our price range. Then the Rogue Pharoah - tops were great, clear, nice, but not enough deeper base. Then finally with the McIntosh MA352, spendy, but very nice. Clear, precise tops, more so than the 600W, and much nicer bass than Pharoah. Any other suggestions for amps? Luxman? SS or hybrid. All amps are all hot, yes?
Thanks |
@wlowe I ended up buying a Luxman 590AXII to pair with the Olympica 2s. This pairing is fantastic - Luxman had no trouble driving the Olympicas. I was surprised how much more and better high end extension as well as bass was available from the speakers. I also tried the speakers with the Audio Research GSI75 which was also quite good but the bass was loose and flabby. I eventually replaced the Olympica 2s with Harbeth SHL5+ which I find more suitable for my taste. But both are excellent in their own way If the choice is between McIntosh and Luxman, I’ll pick the latter without hesitation. |
- 19 posts total