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
I recently bought Baby Grants and drive them with a Jeff Rowland Concentra I. If you want bass control you need some power and therefore similar to the other posters I suggest a powerful solid state amp.
Beside Jeff Rowland I would assume Mark Levinson and Ayre as a proper fit.
I have my Baby Grands set up with an old Linn LK2 (upgraded to the LK280) amp and a Linn Wakonda preamp, and this works well together. Linn rates their amps conservatively - mine is 80 watts at 8 ohms (of course the VA's are 4 ohm) so I suspect it is close to 160 watts at 4 ohms. Also have a REL Storm III in the mix. For the music I listen to (Classical, Jazz, and Acoustic), it sounds great...even with difficult room acoustics (20x20x19 with hardwood floors).
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!)
Hmmm, Bel Canto, interesting - think it might sound great. My friend has the beethoven grands and a Primare integrated, I think it is the A31. Really wonderful combination. Primare delivers a ton of current... And weights a ton.
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