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Sunfire Signature or Aragon 8008BB to power SL3?

Follow goners, I come to you again for help in choosing an amp for my SL3.

After more than a year of searching and collecting funds, it has come down to two amps: The Sunfire signature and Aragon 8008BB. Before arriving to these final two, I have looked at Rotel 1090, Bryston 4B-ST, Odyssey Extreme monos, and Levinson 333. I am not into whether the sound is warm or bright, but just good sound-stage, transients, and tonal balance - things that my previous Onkyo 504 couldn’t reproduce (It had great specs, though!).

I am more impressed with the 8008BB, but I cannot seem to shake-off the Sunfire signature, even though I have seldom come across people associating the Sunfire with “deep unbelievable sound stage”. On the other hand, I am not sure if there is a significant sonic difference between the 8008BB and 8008ST, besides their differences in the number of components and power supply design. The 8008ST has a more appealing price.

The lack of a place to demo has forced me to rely on my fellow Goners, and I am grateful for that. I am looking forward to your advice, opinions, and suggestions.

Thanks
planckscale

Showing 5 responses by planckscale

planckscale OP
60 posts
 
I ended up with the 8008BB. It is sound much much better than my ex-Onkyo (for obvious reasons :). I also bought the Aragon Aurum preamp, hoping for a synergy.

Thanks
planckscale OP
60 posts
 
Never demoed, and never will in any near future! That is why I rely on your opinion and my instincts! I have a background in electronic engineering, but I have come to learn that selecting audiophile gears requires more than that. So I intend to buy a set of gears at a decent price and then spend the next 10 years building synergy using all the tweeks I can afford. It should be fun!
planckscale OP
60 posts
 
Yes, they are Martin Logan SL3. I had the Innersound on my list at one time, but lost interest- don't know why?

Thanks
planckscale OP
60 posts
 
76doublebass, thanks for you input. If I ever consider a tube, it will be a pre-amp. Those ss amps are my last choices. The Oddysey Extreme is a little bit expensive for me and they aren't better than the 8008BB, according to my research. But Warnerwh got me thinking; what speakers did your innersound drive?
planckscale OP
60 posts
 
Wcce,

Please don’t misunderstand me, when I say I won’t be able to demo. There is no place for me to demo. Not whatsoever! But I believe your good advice and my background knowledge will lead me to something I can work with, at a lower price. I also believe you did understand me when I said that specs aren’t a thing. I sold the Onkyo (I hate to mention it again – it feel like I owned a Bose!) more than a year ago. Since then, I have been searching for a replacement – something that is very musical and yet cheap ($800 - $1400).

When I research, I always try to match peoples’ opinions on an amp and the speakers they are using. This should hep me on establish some initial synergy. The rest I will do it through tweeking. It should be fun.
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