Vienna Acoustics vs Revel Studios?


Three years ago, I invested in a system that has given me many hours of listening pleasure. I have Vienna Acoustics Beethoven speakers, a SimAudio I-5 integrated, and an Ultech CD player. At that time, that was about as much as my budget would allow, and I have never regretted buying any part of this system. The only "problem" I am having is that the system lacks "rock out' power. It is perfect for moderate listening, but will occasionally clip or become slightly shrill or unfocused when "cranked."

So now, of course, I'm pondering all kinds of potential remedies. I could simply use the I-5 as a pre-amp and add something like a Bryston 7B ST for extra volume. I could sell the I-5 and go for separates, maybe even try out some tubes, such as the Sonic Frontiers Power 3 set-up (although I have heard that tubes are not necessarily a good match for the 'warm' Vienna speakers). Or I could sell the system and try out the Revel Studios (I think the Salons are probably too big for my living room) with some combination of the above to drive them.

I am not a true audiophile, in the sense that I know an awful lot about this stuff, but I do know that I enjoy good music played on a good system. I don't mind paying for top notch equipment, within reason, but I don't want to fork over 10-12K when a modest adjustment in my current set-up would be almost as good.

So, I appeal to all of you true audiphiles for advice. Please show me the way. Would the Revels be a big step up from the Viennas? Would separates be much better than adding an amp, while using the I-5 as a pre-amp? Any suggestions on possible matches?

I realize the answers are, to some degree, subjective. But I am interested in your feedback and experiences.

Many thanks.
chriscox9674
I disagree w/the above post. The Beethovens are fantastic speakers, but they need and love power. I did not like them w/a 100-watt tube amp (ARC VT100 Mk III), but loved them w/an Ayre V-3 (available used on this site for about $1600, usually). I would upgrade the amp and stick w/the speakers. They will get better and better the better the amplification is.
I also have the Beethovens with an EAD amp and CD player. What kind of power do you have your system plugged into? I ran a 10guage dedicated line back to a 20amp. breaker and built my own power cords. Big difference!! The bass is much deeper and the highs sound much more real. The Beethovens need to be moved around quite a bit,they are able to produce a huge soundstage.

Do not sell them Beethovens just yet...
Believe me, I am in no hurry to part with the Viennas. I think they simply need more power than my SimAudio integrated (70 wpc) delivers. I do, however, also love the sound of the Sim. What are the drawbacks in using it as a pre-amp and adding an amp in the 250-300 wpc range? Would that give me that extra "kick" that I crave? What would be a good match for the Sim, or should I just bite the bullet and get a good pre-amp? The Sim doesn't have a phono stage, which is further enticement to upgrade to separates.

I do love the Beethovens. But I have to admit that my curiosity about the Revels is killing me. I at least need to find a dealer and give them a listen. Lord save me from my impulses...

Thanks for the input, everyone.
Sorry Steve, but I disagree with you too. I think the Vienna's are great. They are a much more musical speaker than the Revel's IMHO. The Revel's are good too, but I would find them fatiging over time. Chris my recommendation would to keep the Beethoven's & switch over to tubes to really hear them sing. The other advantage of the Vienna's is they don't need a lot of power to drive them, which leave you with may options in tube amps.
I too have the Beethovens and IMHO, if you use them with a quality tube preamp, they really sound great. As far as amps go, I drove mine with a Classe CA-200 which was very nice but now use a Sonic Frontiers Power 2. It's 100 watts of tube power and can honestly say I don't feel the need for more. I also use a REL Stata III to fill in the bottom end and am very happy with this combo. Good Luck!