A suitable power amp for my SF

Hi-Fi Corner
1

Hi there,
this is my first post. I joined the forum because after upgrading my speakers I’m considering replacing my amp with something better suited, I’ve never heard a Naim, all I can say is that I love the look of the power amps.

I’m currently using an Onkyo 9010 with and external DAC, MiniDSP Flex, to feed a pair of Sound Faber Olympica I at 8ft (2,5m) from the listener. Here’s a few basic data about the speaker:

FREQUENCY RESPONSE
50 Hz – 30.000 Hz, tuning port included
SENSITIVITY
87 dB SPL (2.83 V/1m)
NOMINAL IMPEDANCE
4 ohm
SUGGESTED AMPLIFIER POWER OUTPUT
40W – 150W, without clipping
In my current setup the 47wpc Onkio’s potentiometer rarely goes above 50%, the MiniDSP is staying because it allows me to correct the acoustic horrors of the room have and it serves as a preamplifier.

The music I mostly listen to is progressive, jazz, rock.

Said that, with a budget pushed to the limit of 1300£\1500€ is there a power amp you’d recommend?

2

Thats fine, but in fact there’s so many Naim poweramps from different vintages, they do not all look exactly like each other.

You will need a Naim preamp too.

3

Supernait 2 would suit well.

4

Isn’t that an integrated amp?

5

Right, it’s the classic look I’m after, post 2000.
Is the preamp really necessary? I can limit the bandwidth with the DSP.

6

We had our SF speakers with a SuperUniti, which worked ok.

However, SF speakers excel when well driven. If you could find a 250DR power amplifier your speakers would thank you.

Older ones are appearing at the top end of your budget.

We now use a 300DR to drive our speakers, but that’s slightly above budget :grinning_face:

7

Yes, integrated. But you have no pre, right?

8

If you intend to use your current amp as preamp ? ..then no.
Do notice most of the classic poweramps have DIN and not RCA plugs.

I have zero knowledge to your Onkyo, but guess a Nait XS or SN2 would be a much better solution finally.

1 Like
9

Having owned Sonus Faber in the past I will say your speakers deserve a much, much better amp, and possibly better source on top. SF are quite current hungry I’ve found so if you want a Naim amp then a Supernait 3 would be a good match I’d imagine. Or Densen but the brand is all but dead these days, sadly.

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10

I’d use the external DAC, can’t I get RCA to din cables?

11

I get that SF keeps the sensitivity low as well as the impedance to bring a ton of base to the table and that’s hard work to control, but again with max 30watts in my living room I’m nearly at ear damage levels, do I really need all that headroom?
Now, I could get a 200dr for 1200€, a 250dr would set me back almost 3000€, and that is not what I’m willing to pay. Btw, where do you look for used equipment?

12

I have an external DAC with volume and source control… That should do, right?

13

The 200DR is a very capable power amp.

In a smaller room it might be all you need. There’s a thread running just now giving it some love

You won’t get the benefit of the DR section as you wouldn’t be using the power supply as you haven’t got a naim preamp. Look out for a serviced NAP200.

14

Thank you, that’s valuable information!

15

The SN2 has a very similar amp as the Nap 200.
A good preamp is the heart of any system.
Your solution will work, but very probably better with the SN2.

16

What’s an SF?
Martin

17

Sonus Faber, in this case the Olympica 1 model.

19

Naim amps work best with a naim preamp.

You’d probably get a great result with DAC line out into Supernait 2 providing preamp (with volume control) and power amplification.

20

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