amp/preamp to complement Vienna Acoustics?


Hi guys, I would like some advice about pairing a suitable preamp/amp (or integrated) with vienna acoustics beethoven baby grand speakers. They have a 4 ohm nominal impedance and a claimed sensitivity of 91db. They are also warm sounding speakers that can obscure some detail.(allegedely, I have only listened briefly with cheap amplification) I am an admitted neophyte when it comes to home audio and though I'm far from set on these speakers I would like some suggestions as to what would complement them well so I can formulate an initial system plan and start trolling audiogon for some deals. Thanks, Any help/suggestions are appreciated. * Cost is a large factor.
nile49

Showing 2 responses by guidocorona

Nile49, Vienna speakers are deceptively hard to drive. . . their nominal sensitivity is a little of a 'false promise' of smooth sailing. In reality they have a little bit of a wild impedance curve and work best with powerful amplification that yields a high damping factor. With the right amp Vienna speakers are exceedingly musical but not at all too warm, and their bass becomes powerful but very controlled. DCSTEP drives his Baby Grands with the Rowland Continuum 500 integrated with great success and can comment on his experience directly. A technologically somewhat similar solution will be to match them with a Jeff Rowland capri and Bel Canto Ref 1000M or 500M monoblock amps. I have reviewed the Ref 1000M for Positive Feedback and found the amp to be extremely good even driving my much larger Vienna Mahlers. The pre I was using at the time was Capri. . . and the combination is marvellous. The Ref 500M are not as powerful as the 1000M, but they are said to sound even sweeter.
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue43/bel_canto_ref1000.htm
Primare is another amp used frequently with the smaller Vienna Acoustics. . . not surprisingly, Primare used to be imported by Sumiko, still importing Vienna in the US. I have heard Baby Grands driven by Primare and the system was quite good, if just slightly tippy in the treble, in spite of the extra Primare poundage (grins!)