Amati homage with NO334

The Amati needs tubes. Plain and simple. You will never hear it true greatness using SOLID STATE AMPS.

The Amati is a very musical speaker, and will benefit from a musical amp, even a musical SS amp, but there are not too many musical SS amps unfortunately.

If you look at the used Levinson amps for sale, you will see many 300 and 400 series for sale, because people are not happy with the "new" Levinson sound. Has been described as "dry" or "dark". I don't know personally, but this evidence seems to be reflect a general dissatisfaction with these products.

If you like Levinson equipment, as I do, I recommend you consider the 20 series like the 23.5 or 27.5 (not the 23 or 27). If you want Class A (runs hot and remains very expensive, even used) the 20.5 or 20.6 are amazing SS amps.

If you prefer a later model which still has the "Levinson sound" everyone still talks about, then you should consider a pair of 33H monoblocks (about $10K used)

I heard the Amati Homage with a Levinson amp of that vintage (it was a 334, 335 or 336) and Levinson front end at Innovative Audio in Manhattan several years ago. It was astonishingly mediocre.

Amati and recent ML series don't match for some strange reason. 2 friends of mine sold their ML stuff.
The new Amati anniversario is other story.

I have heard Amati's very closely with Levinson 383/39 CDP & the system was very slow & boring. Later i have listened to the same system with a Mac 602 / Levinson no32 ref pre / no39 CDP. While sounding more musical , still was not satisfying considering the investment. I have also heard the same sys. driven by a Pass X250.2 ? sounded better with more timbre etc. but still not musical & the Mac was better in this area. I don't know if it's the room or speakers but the owner has finally decided to sell the speakers .

As a side note i have heard his signums / no39 CDP / no32 pre. driven by Cary 300B SET mono amps & this system sonded great ! Speed ,musicality, slam , timbre etc. etc.
If you are wondering the 15Watt Cary's could not drive the Amati's.

To answer your question, one of my friends had a 334 driving a pair of Dynaudio Crafft's with no39/ Supartek pre & i liked this system better than the various Amati combinations but still preferd the overall sound of signums + carys to my tastes. Be very carefull with Amatis as amp matching is critical IMO. Good luck.

I've also heard that Amati and ML 3xx series amp don't work too well. My friend is driving his with a BAT VK-75 and it sounds great! (Make me want to buy a pair of these) I'm currently running Thiel 3.6 + ML 333. He has been looking for an SS amp just to try and we will be trying out my Pass Aleph Os this Friday. I'll post our impressions afterwards.

FrankC

Joergensen, with all this advice (and before you even consider changing speakers!) I would consider what Mapleleaf says about Amati + tubes. See if you can't get your hands on a decent >100 watt stereo or mono pair of tube amps just to try for comparison purposes, maybe a friend or dealer can let you borrow. Then you'll know for sure.

I am the guy with Amati and BAT VK-75SE. I have tried many amps, BAT VK-150 (non SE), ARC VT-100 Mk III, Sonic Frontiers Power 2, Rowland 501 (friend's), Accuphase P-450, Pass X-350, PS Audio HCA-2, and others that I can't remember. You know my choice. However, the 2nd runner up was not BAT-150 or ARC, it was Sonic Frontiers. In fact, another friend thought he would go for Sonic Frontiers given the price difference.

Where BAT excels is in the midrange purity and speed. From top to bottom, it's smooth and delicate but still has solid state like control. And like most tube amps, stage depth unmatched by solid state. Speed is another area BAT is better than most tube amps. But if you like romantic sound, BAT will not deliver.

Some other amps to consider, Jadis 845, Nagra, and CAT JL2.

Thank you very much for advice and thoughts.I will consider What to do and have your thoughts in mind. Dont know if im into tube... but i will definetly give it another try. Just recently heard Audio Aero/Capitole Audia Flight PRE Rogue Audio/ Zeus Vienna Acoustics/ Mahler. I was not amased, but ofcause the Amati is a total different speaker.
Can any of you describe The Amati soundwise compared to SF Extrema? Does the speaker vanish when the music playes?
Thanks again-Adelin

Just my 0.2 euros (I'm from Italy):
my Amati sound great and completely disappear with Plinius SA Ref. Consider that I have also an ARC D115 with kt88Eh and some nos in the input stage and still prefer the Plinius...

Sandro

My 2 cents would be to consider the McCormack DNA-500 - warm,detailed and fast with the control of solid state. I was very surprised and you might be as well. I know of 3 people who switched to this amp instead of the newer Levinson amps.