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Amp/Int Amp for SF Auditor Spkrs

I have just purchased a pair of Sonus Faber Auditor Spkrs with stands to replace my Vandersteen 2Ce speakers. I had auditioned the Auditors at length about a year ago, with my integrated amp (Marantz PM84). I am considering upgrading the electronics. I would like advice from fellow Audiogoners who are familiar with SF Auditor speakers on the pre-amp/amp combination or Int Amp that might work well with the SF Auditors. My budget is $2-3k. I listen to all kinds of music, classical (mostly), rock, jazz and Indian classical, all at moderate volume.
I have read good things about Lavardin IS and Creek int amps, as well as Sam Tellig's ravings about anything made by Pathos. While there are Creek and Pathos dealers where I loive (Chicago), there aren't any Lavardin dealers. Also Lavardin is rated at 30w, not sure if this is enough for the listening space (23 ft long, 11 ft wide and 9 ft tall, with 5ft doorways on both the long walls. The speakers will be located roughly 8 ft away from the back wall (about 13ft from listening area)and 1.5 ft away from the side walls.

Thanks.
chanderb
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
an amp or integrated with at least 100wpc or more will maximize your sound, and give you better control (and articulation) of the bass.
chanderb OP
5 posts
 
Thanks, Jaybo. Do you have any suggestions on what amp ?

Chander
213cobra
885 posts
 
The Auditors, despite their 90db/w/m efficiency rating, really don't come into their own sonically with modest power amps. While the Lavardin amps are excellent, they just do not have enough muscle to drive any Cremona speaker to its real potential. Further, this is a 4 ohm speaker and very few amps today sound their best into 4 ohms.

The ideal integrated amp for your Auditors is the McIntosh MA6900, but it is well above your stated budget. Perhaps you can find a used one near or a little above the top of your range. In the Mac range, the autoformer amps are best in this application. However the direct coupled MA6500 is also excellent, new or used.

Also outstanding and squarely in your price range is the NAD M3 Master Series integrated amp. It is among the solid state integrated amps that maintain their sonics into 4 ohms.

The Auditor is a revealing speaker that can leverage amplification costing a multiple of its price. It is very demanding of quality amplification so at your price range, I advise one of the integrated amps above, rather than any number of preamp/amp combinations that yield substantially less power. You can certainly get good sound out of a quality 50w//ch amp like SF's own integrated or a Lavardin, but the difference in the Auditor's tone and projection with a more muscular amp of similar sound quality, is seriously noticeable, even though on paper it shouldn't be necessary. They love high quality power. I've heard Auditors on McIntosh MC501 monoblocks and even at that was amazed how much better still they were when driven by another step up in the same topology to the McIntosh MC1201s.

Phil
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