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best mach for SB venere 1.5

HI guys ,I really tried not to start new thread but couldn't find answers im looking.
let me start of by saying im new to audiophile systems ,im kinda trying to start in slow and live my childhood dreams. I recently bought SF venere after listening speakers that I always thought are interesting (dynaudio xeo 3,ML motion 15 and 20,B&W cm1 and pm 1,as well as cm 5 ,old 602 s3.i was planning to listen to dynaudio x12 and paradigm studio 20 but when i heard sf's i just fell in love.(its not strange after coming from old jbl venue 10 pushed by sony avr and my ochildhood system which was akai integrated amp and pioneer s310 speakers.)
now i need to get amplification that will be most suitable for them.budget is 2000$ it will be fed by my mac mini as all my cds and vinyl is in Europe and i have evryting on my hdds here in America.that been said i was looking in some integrated amps such as krell si300,elecrtocompanient pi2 ,hegel h 80,parasound combo p5 and a21.integrated dac was my preference bcs i cant afford stand alone if i by something on the top of my budget but im open to anything.music i listen to goes from classical to dead metal but most of my time i listen to harder stuff.listenig room is my living room not to big maybe 20m3 but really broken up in shape with carpet all around. Also if u can put some words on cables on the budget i would appreciate it a loooot.newbie
subcrime
subcrime OP
13 posts
 
Listend to the rogue audio sphinx and Cronus and both surprise
Me but sphinx dnt have quite enough juice to push venere as much as I would like.
Cronus on the other hand was wow for
Me . I never herd tubes bfr and it was great experience . Now I have something to compare when I go try Hegel and krell . Please write if u had some experience with any of these products
djverne
77 posts
 
I just wasn't impressed with the sphinx, nice big soundstage but lacking in refinement. Not that the 2010s2 is much more refined...but it us much more musical and dynamic. I would say go for the Hegel H80 or the Exposure 2010s2. I was talking to my girlfriend today about the different amps we have tried. I mentioned to her that I think had I kept my Fritz Carbon 7s and paired them with the Hegel 100 in a bigger room that would have been a real nice combo. Unfortunately when I had the Hegel it was just paired with my Focus 110's--this combo lacked a little mid bass. I think if your not looking to use a sub woofer the Hegel H 80 is a fantastic choice.
subcrime OP
13 posts
 
i got a good offer on all hegel's but i can't try them but i can return them ,I'm just concern how much power i really need to stay linear on low levels with my speakers and can hegel 80 or 100 do that job?
djverne
77 posts
 
For low level listening I think your speakers would benefit greatly dynamics wise form the exposure 2010s2....it's all there. On the other hand as you turn the volume up the Hegel will get the most out of your speakers filling the room with sound. The Hegel really does take about 150 -200 hours before the bass kicks in. Once it does though it's as good as any class d amp I have tried. The Hegel H80 may actually be a better sounding amp because it has a really good dac built in, better than the H100, but has no pre outs for a sub. If you get it don't be surprised if the sound is very thin at first, it takes a while to break in. What are your music tastes by the way? I listen to a lot of electronic music and acoustic vocals. The Hegel is far more refined and fantastic for acoustic material, electronic landscape music, and is very 3d. The exposure just gives you more grunt and is faster, the lower end is not as defined as the Hegel but it's more there at lower levels. The Exposure is very forgiving of sub par material, the Hegel sounds more refined when giving any thing CD level and up. If you went the Exposure route the Shit Bitfrost is a perfect match.. got mine for $300.
soix
9,456 posts
 
Djverne makes some really good points that may ultimately drive your final decision. I think your findings with the Rogue amps was revealing in that the Cronus is a fuller sounding amp while the Sphinx is voiced a little leaner. The Veneres are not a terribly difficult load -- the manufacturer told me they did this on purpose as at their price level they expect many to drive them with midfi receivers -- so I think it is this voicing difference more than a lack of "power" per se that you were hearing. My guess is the Exposure and Hegel are voiced maybe a little closer to the Cronus, so your choice may come down to whether you prefer a more visceral/driving upfront experience (Exposure) or the relatively more detailed, open, 3D presentation of the Hegel. As you're relatively new to this hobby/affliction the dimensional/depth aspects are things you might not be attuned to as much until you hear it on very good systems that are well set up in a good room -- or maybe you'll wind up not caring about those things at all as lots of audiophiles don't. Think of it as the difference between sitting in the first few rows of a performance where everything is right in front of you and very present versus sitting further back where individual sounds aren't quite as prominent but you have a better perspective or view of the entire soundstage in the context of the recording venue. I would say that if you find the Hegel and Exposure to sound very similar then go with the Hegel as down the road you may end up appreciating its added dimensional capabilities, and of course it has the DAC too. But, strive to keep that memory of the sound of the Cronus in mind as you hear the others as a triangulation approach can be very helpful in more clearly identifying important differences and ultimately making the best decision. You certainly have three very fine options thus far to choose from. Again, best of luck.
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