Amp for Sonus Faber Amati Futura

Sonus Faber is like art. It is beautiful made. And it has maybe the most musical mid freq. of any brand. The only 2 limitations they have is that the stage is not as wide and deep as some other brands in this price range can give. And they do not have the best respons. So it makes them more difficult to drive. Tighter low freq. would be better.

Bo1972 and Tubeears did you ever hear these Audio Analogue Maestro amps?
They look like Krell or Jeff Rowlands.
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-audio-analogue-maestro-mono-power-amps-new-price-2013-01-17-amplifiers-97230

In those price ranges there are many more. Then I doubt if they are as good as brands like Pass Labs and some Krell. Jeff Roland has a very musical sound. But I prefer Pass Labs a lot more. Stage is bigger and better timing and control compared to Jeff Roland.

Amp for Sonus Faber Amati Futura
I would sure like to actually hear those AA Maestro monos. However they are not the rev2 series. I actually believe that I would prefer my Maestro Settanta Rev2 better with my DeCapos given the power curve and the newer build quality. I owned a Rowland 112 for a long (in Audiophile) time. I enjoyed it with a pair of ML CLS's. It was a smooth, musical amp.. But too much on the smooth side. My Maestro is half the power but nearly twice the grunt and more SET sounding. It is one of the few amps that increases the soundstage and depth as you turn it up, instead of blasting out shear SPL's. Lord "Nelson" is on top of that one too. So very interesting about Pass amp technology. If you are a shrewd Audiophile and can recognize the many amps that his fingerprints are on, you can always find a decent amp (with some of his design behind it) for Not much money. One of the best little amps around (inexpensive that is) that shares his gift for design, is the often overlooked N.E.W. 20.1. The company has been belly up for many years, but the amps show up occasionally. A good friend drove his SoundLab A-1's with one of them and had another set in mono for his Apogees. Gorgeous sound. And cheap. The matching preamp was killer too. He had a battery amp in the line as well (N.E.W. 66) that was good but not as good as the smaller 20.1. I consider Nelson Pass a true Audio genius that is a corner stone of audio history. As already stated, his newer Amps are stunning with tons of musicality and drive.
My DeCapos run so well with the AA Maestro amp. It is a match that I have dreamt about nearly all of my audio life. One does not stumble upon it often, or sometimes even at all... That is a pity for some, after all the money that we pour down the, ever flushing, equipment toilet. My basic system ran me about 8k (most from A'gon) and I will put it up against anything... Yes, anything. For the area size that it is meant to cover and the volume level that I enjoy.. It is perfect.
As for Sonus Faber, their smooth, but musical presentation demands an amp that can control them consistently and effortlessly. Not just in power but mainly finesse, pacing and superior low end control. Totally Wired, a well known Salon in NZ, has found that the best amp for the Sonus Fabar Gaurneri was the Maesrto Settanta rev2. Other amps may well include the gorgeous Edge lineup, or their cousins, amps by Tom Maker (Edges original brainchild). I used an Edge M6M for a while and it proved to be a nice unit with some speakers. The Edge amp was quick with amazing transient attack. It did lean toward the dry side, but that may prove beneficial to the SF, with its soft and somewhat expanded mid-band tendencies. I wasn't real impressed with the low end of the Edge, however. Although it had grip or control, it seemed somehow lacking in content and musical presentation, but certainly not control. Some other amps to consider would be the older DR series Classe amps. They have outstanding control and a silk-like presentation. The are getting a bit long in the tooth now, so get a good one. I like the Ayre amps for midrange and high end performance, but somehow the bass seems disconnected from the rest of the presentation. Another amp that I really liked, is the Muse 160. Very musical and tube like in the upper regions. Very articulate, with strong bass. IMHO way better than the Ayre amps. Belles amps might also be a fine choice. I have only owned the older 450, but it drove my Apogees with tons of grunt and musicality. The newer ones have a great reputation and stellar reviews. Dave Belles is another audio genious that has never stopped reaching for Audio Nirvana. A brilliant, dedicated designer and Audiophile.
Tube amps for the SF are a whole different animal. I personally would pick articulation over bloom. I would bet that a Kora Galaxy would work wonders with the SF's. I would stay away from CJ' and some Cary's. .... But, If you "want" lots of bloom and control, I would try and find a pair of Aronov monos or even the stereo version. They are highly musical and throw a super large soundstage. On the other side of the tube coin are amps like DecWare. I would be willing to bet that their larger amps would work wonders with the SF's. Their amps will make your toes curl up with their presentaion of sheer musical value. They are great people to deal with as well. Don't take David Berning off your list either. OTL's have a special spark and drive that only that design can give. Hard to find used. I have never cared for Copelands, although some people like them. I have always felt their sound distant and somewhat vague. Sooo many amps, and sooo little time.
One thing to keep in mind. It does not matter how thick your wallet is, there are great amps for very little money. It's the synergy not the cost.
I just love the Sonus Fabar line up. They are a true classic art form of what a highly listenable speaker should be. About their only drawback is their price. Would I trade my DeCapo-I/BE's for a pair of SF Gaurneri. Absolutely not ! I have finally found my roads end. However the DCap's are not for everyone. But..It would be nice to be able to own them both.

I hope that this rant and babble have been somewhat useful. Every word has, of course, been IMHO. This is actually an impossible thread to answer with any perfection... Only experience and advice from trial and error can help you find your goal. J. Gordon Holt (Sterophile) once caused a stir when he said: "All amps sound the same". He well might have been right, given all the different speakers, associated equipment and choice of listening environment/acoustics that he encountered. However, he never listened to my amp. RIP Gordie.

by Tubeears

Audio is a never ending story!