anyone familiar with the Sunfire Cinema Grand?

i have absolutely no dealers within driving distance and want to hear opinions. Does the bi-amp using differenct sources create a colored sound or does the amp remain neutral. I own very neutral speakers and want them to remain so. Any personal experience is welcomed.

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Originally Posted by Tarheel_

Does the bi-amp using differenct sources create a colored sound or does the amp remain neutral.

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Bi-amp using different sources? Huh? You lost me on that one, Tarheel. I know Carver has a switch on his amps that alter the way they run in some form (voltage mode and something else?) so I'm unclear if this is what you mean. Maybe I'm just experiencing brain fade because my Trojans may still not be in the Sugar Bowl even after torching Oregon State.

My experience with the Cinema Grand is somewhat limited so take this with a grain of salt. However, the reason it was a brief exposure was because it was nearly unlistenable. I heard the Cinema Grand bi-amped into Dynaudio Temptations and it was horrible. I'm talking grab your tunes and turn it off bad. Dry, clinical, and the very epitome of all the nasty generalizations anti-solid state folks associate with ss amps. The mids were hollow and there was no air or life around the music. It was just there, with nothing drawing you into the music if that makes sense. While I do prefer the sound of tubes, I'm hardly anti-ss by any stretch of the imagination. I've never heard your M20's but if they lean toward the cooler side of neutral, I'd definitely find some way to do an audition with the Sunfire and your Revel's before buying, even if you have to pay for return shipping on a loaner. I don't think it'd be the best match, but that's just my opinion.

Good luck.

Sunfire claims by bi-amping their units the amps can be ultilized as 2 sources, one amp (current source) will run to the mids-highs and will be more "tubelike" while the other amp (voltage source) is used to power the woofer has more SS qualities and thus controls the bass.

Taken from Sunfire's site;
"Two output options for the main left and right channels: current source for a warmer, more open tube sound or voltage source for all the tight response this awesome solid state amplifier can deliver "

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tarheel_

Sunfire claims by bi-amping their units the amps can be ultilized as 2 sources, one amp (current source) will run to the mids-highs and will be more "tubelike" while the other amp (voltage source) is used to power the woofer has more SS qualities and thus controls the bass.

Taken from Sunfire's site;
"Two output options for the main left and right channels: current source for a warmer, more open tube sound or voltage source for all the tight response this awesome solid state amplifier can deliver "

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Unless every channel in that amp has two separate topologies (one for current, one for voltage) and discrete power transformers, that sounds like marketing mumbo jumbo. Pop the lid and find out for yourself. If they don't have separate boards in each channel, it sounds like Bob simply coloring the sound in current mode to soften it. I'm no engineer, but I don't see how he can pull two different sounds off the same board.

I had a B&K whose claim to fame was a "tube-like" sound. In actuality it was just warm and fuzzy, to the point of having rolled off highs and veiled mids. That's not tube-like, that just warm and fuzzy! If you want a tube sound, buy a tube amp for the highs. If you want great depth and slam, get a decent ss for the bass. Actually bi-amp those Revels if that's really what you want to do.

Ah crap, you've heard it already?