I have always had Sonus Faber speakers and went from an Audio Research DSi200 via Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 (both Class D) to the Gryphon Diablo 300 (A/B). I am now running it with Amati Futura and Valhalla cabling through out the system.
The organic warmth of the SF speakers, absolute control of the Diablo and dynamic speed of Nordost is a really great combo in my ears.
Also, going from Class D to A/B was a step up in my combo. With the Futuras I had a bass problem around 60 Hz. A quite normal room mode.
In comes the Gryphon and the problem is gone. Hmm. Nice. Yes. But what happened. Jeff Rowland delivered 2x800W so lack of power was not the issue. At the High End Show in Munich I met with the engineer at Gryphon responsible for the construction ot the Diablo 300. Most likely it had to do with the low impedance of my speakers. Between 60 and 200 Hz it dips down to just above 2 Ohm. My previous class D amp simply couldn't deliver/draw that current from the wall socket. But the Diablo has 136,000 micro-farads of storage and thus keeps the woofers in check even at low frequencies.
As always it is a matter of taste and you just have to find what you like best. To my taste the McIntosh + Sonus Faber combo is way to rich. And Devialet + Magico is to "exact and perfect". Like a mannequin it is "perfect but lifeless". Which makes the combo not perfect for me.
But this journey through the hifi jungle and the knowledge you collect on the way is half the joy. The rest is musical blizz.
The organic warmth of the SF speakers, absolute control of the Diablo and dynamic speed of Nordost is a really great combo in my ears.
Also, going from Class D to A/B was a step up in my combo. With the Futuras I had a bass problem around 60 Hz. A quite normal room mode.
In comes the Gryphon and the problem is gone. Hmm. Nice. Yes. But what happened. Jeff Rowland delivered 2x800W so lack of power was not the issue. At the High End Show in Munich I met with the engineer at Gryphon responsible for the construction ot the Diablo 300. Most likely it had to do with the low impedance of my speakers. Between 60 and 200 Hz it dips down to just above 2 Ohm. My previous class D amp simply couldn't deliver/draw that current from the wall socket. But the Diablo has 136,000 micro-farads of storage and thus keeps the woofers in check even at low frequencies.
As always it is a matter of taste and you just have to find what you like best. To my taste the McIntosh + Sonus Faber combo is way to rich. And Devialet + Magico is to "exact and perfect". Like a mannequin it is "perfect but lifeless". Which makes the combo not perfect for me.
But this journey through the hifi jungle and the knowledge you collect on the way is half the joy. The rest is musical blizz.