need an amp for my Sonus Faber's

[kpad]

Hi. Ive just joined the forum & this is my 1st post.

I used to run Kef 104 speakers, but they were getting a bit weather worn. The cat clawed them, the sun faded them, and the kid knocked them about, also the wife didn’t like the sound when they where on low volume (the only volume she likes). I looked into a refurb for them, but this was no good.

So I looked around and saw the Sonus Faber Concerto Grand Piano's. Wow what a looker. But got home, plugged them in, & they sounded awful. Treble to high no bass.
This was running through an Audiolab pre & power amp. I plugged the old kef's in and couldn’t believe how good they sounded.
Well I read a few reports on the SF's and thought Id give them another go. This meant foraging around the house for alternative amps. 1st I plugged my Audiolab 8000A in. This gave an improvement. 2nd I tried a Cyrus 1. This was instantly better and Im using this amp at the present.

Thing is I know I need a new amp but not many people are familiar with SF's and I don’t want to/cant afford to buy any amp that may not do the job. And the Sonus Faber's are just to good looking to chuck. Please help.

[audio amateur]

Have you given thought to positioning & time for them to break-in?

[kpad]

I have not tried different positions, just plonked them where the old speakers where. As thay sound so bad I did not see this as a priority.
As I bought them second hand I have assumed that they have been more than run in. (?)

[Mr Peabody]

Your speakers are average sensitivity and said to have a stable impedance, I'm not sure what the problem could be unless it's just synergy. You sound like you are probably aware of phase importance and I believe the speakers are bi-ampable, so the straps are in place? I'm not familiar with your amps. The CGP's are 8 ohm and many of the European amp companies rate into 4 ohms so you may need more power. I've heard the CGB are very "musical" and balanced, the bass being tight with no boom or flab. Room positioning is always worth playing with but passive radiator designs such as yours I don't think would be as critical as a bass reflex. It sounds like your bass is really lacking which shouldn't be a problem for that speaker.

What is your price range for an amp? In your case especially I'd recommend an in home audition before buying to be sure you like what you hear. A lot of people like tubes with the SF. You could try a Conrad Johnson solid state.

[basite]

what's your budget?

Mcintosh and Sonus Faber are a marriage. Just like Thiel and Mcintosh...

seriously, you should check out Mcintosh...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[kpad]

Thanks for advice.
I have dabled with positioning but this has noy gained much. Can the cabling change much, Ive got a 12m run in the building fabric (twin 1.5mm cables - not sure what gauge).
After a sit in session Iv decided it mainly lacks mid range (which the old speakers had in xxxl size).

[basite]

Thanks for advice.
I have dabled with positioning but this has noy gained much. Can the cabling change much, Ive got a 12m run in the building fabric (twin 1.5mm cables - not sure what gauge).
After a sit in session Iv decided it mainly lacks mid range (which the old speakers had in xxxl size).

no mid can be alot.
it can be an amp/speaker mismatch, but it can also be that the amp can't deliver enough stable power. it can also be that your speakers are too far apart, and you sit too close to them (which can generate a 'gap', and much missing information).

12m of 1.5mm cables, just cables, or something fancy?

If they are 'just cables', I'd definately recommend upgrading them to something decent. Try Kimber, an 8VS might still be affordable for such a run. If not, try the 8PR...

did you audition the speakers too when you first saw them? how did they sound then, and what was driving them?

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[Slippers On]

Kpad,

If it is of interest to you, the Sonus Faber designers use Krells for power and a Nagra valve Preamp during development and testing.


Slippers On

[mbuc]

I guess it's at least partly a cable problem. 12 meters is very bad, try to reposition your setup so a maximum of 7 meters will do, the less the better. And I wouldn't recommend Kimber, my 4TC and Cremona Auditor didn't match - too much treble, hollow mids, thin bass. Try Van den Hul CS 122. In addition, try a McIntosh amp.

[charisma]

Hello folks.this is my first reaction here on the audioreview forum.
I,ve had a pair of concertino,s for many years,and they sounded great on my tube amps.
In the Netherlands(where I,m from)they use often Krell amplification on Sonus Faber,and it works great too.
I think it,s a good option for the grand piano,the Krell will control the speaker quite well.
It depends on the listening room,if you need the power for a good soundstage,allso positioning is very important.
Sonus Faber is very sensitive for that.

[Mr Peabody]

Welcome to AR Charisma

[bobsticks]

Hello folks.this is my first reaction here on the audioreview forum.
I,ve had a pair of concertino,s for many years,and they sounded great on my tube amps.
In the Netherlands(where I,m from)they use often Krell amplification on Sonus Faber,and it works great tooI think it,s a option for the grand piano,the Krell will control the speaker quite

Cool. I''ve never heard Sonus with Krell but having heard pieces from each brand separately it's easy to imagine that combo sounding quite good. I have heard GPs with tubes and it was magical.

Welcome to the forum.

[Jack in Wilmington]

The last time I was at my local HiFi shop they had a pair of Grand Pianos running on a Krell 400xi and I have to admit I preferred the sound to the normal setup of a Musical Fidelity A5.5 . I know a couple of the salesman have complained about not being able to sell Sonus Faber because of the dull sound. They were saying that the sound rooms were over damped. Now they say they may have found the right combination.

[Mr Peabody]

At $2.5k msrp the 400xi is a pretty good value. High performance per dollar ratio. Krell's problem is they don't make a cdp to match anymore. To my knowledge they don't even have a dedicated cdp to offer in any price. I personally found that Krell is a bit more difficult to find a cdp that matches for good synergy.