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stereo reciever for sonus faber grand piano Home

I have a pair of sonus faber grand piano home, floor standing speakers. currently i am using harman kardon HK 3480. this was a second system in my bedroom. This is now my mainn system as I am selling my main system which I am not using anymore.
Sources: eventually they will be: pionner blue ray player, apple TV and dish network reciever.
USe: music, mostly non-critical listening, and movies in 2 channel mode.
problem: i am used to good sound from my previous sytem , that even when relaxing or going to sleep i love clean music, i ate missing the notes when my ears don't get them.
Budget: $1300 or less
Preference: 12 V trigger so I can turn everything off throught the power conditioner. sleep function, i go to sleep while the music is on and it turn off by itself.A/B speaker is must because this sytem powers my bathroom speakers. I never use A/B speakers together.Tuner is not important at ll.
Thoughts: Rotel, NAD......I am not sure and other than my MF KW 500 and my marantz SA-7S1 that i am selling now on audiogon, i had limited exposure to other brands. The bass is so muffled, and not detailed at all with my HK i hardly hear the notes, when I increase the bass on the tome controls it getts boomy. I know what everybody will say about this $300 reciever, but this is the situation. I hate to buy another $1000 integrated and then it does not work well with grand pianoes. I am sure some of you outhere had those speakers and can help
Thanks to all

scientist73
johnnyb53
3,490 posts
 
Why don't you keep the MF kw500s and replace your receiver with a good integrated or preamp? My son has the HK 3380 (identical to the HK 3480 minus a few watts), and although it's pretty fast and transparent in the mid-band (at the expense of everything else), I can tell it would be a poor match for the SF Concerto Grand Pianos. Nor would it make a good front end for the MF kw500s. Get a nice little integrated or line stage for your KWs.

May I suggest the Parasound Classic 2100? Although I haven't heard it, I've gotten a high recommendation on it from an experienced enthusiast with similar tastes to mine. It also has built-in phono preamp. Another possibility might be this Antique Sound line stage.

If you're dumping the KW500s because they didn't sound good downstream of the HK 3480, you're barking up the wrong tree. The HK isn't a good enough front end for the MFs.
scientist73 OP
36 posts
 
Thanks for all this input. I can't keep the Kw 500 because there is no place for it in the bedroom cabinet it would break the cabinet. and it is wider than the cabinet. I purchased the salamander cabinet downstairs specifically for this beast. I wish it was smaller and lighter. I think it desrves my Anrda I speakers which it used to drive. The anrda I speakers are part of my hometheater now(I know it sounds crazy). but it the only piece left of my old system.

An integrated is fine. I have to look at all these models recommended and get back. I am very happy with the outlaw RR2150 except for the power rating. I can sqweeze the 200 WPC outlaw monblocks (i am not sure what are they called) they are less than 2 inches each. and use the RR 2150 as a preamp but use no sub. this may go over the budget by a $100 or so. I can live with that. I am looking for a perfect marriage between convience and good sound(not the absolute sound of halcro, BAT ...etc). My bedroom is so uneven with sitting area one one side and a wall on the other, so I am not sure I will get a superb sound but at least something I can enjoy. What I mean , I want to do the best I can but not go overboard, this is not a treated room or even ideal for music also, I don't have a dedicated 20 amp line like i have downstairs. So i am willing to accept some compromise but not to the level of the harman kardon I am using now.
Thanks to all of you. I will check those names over the week end.Mor input would be more help I am learning about brands I never heard of. Thanks
scientist73 OP
36 posts
 
I am selling the KW 500 because I am not using my old stereo system for critical listening a lot and it is a waste to keep it for 1-3 hours of listening a month. so I decided to sell it. It sounded great. but my bedroom project is another humble yet decent stereo project that should cost me half the price of KW 500 when I got it new.
KW 500 is an outstanding integrated. It may be too much for the SF grand piano speakers, it handled the Andra I speakers with ease and authority and musicality. I love the KW 500 but I am not happy with the HK on the Sonus faber speakers.
johnnyb53
3,490 posts
 
Sorry, I was confusing the KW 500 integrated with the MF kw550 monoblocks which are made to sit next to the speakers they're supercharging.

I think the latest version of the NuForce integrated would give you just what you're looking for. If you have a decent line stage (and the RR2150 would not be that), the Outlaw 2200 M-blocks would be good.

However, if you really want something that makes those SFs come alive and makes a minimal impact on your rack space, check out the 8.5" wide, 8.5 lb. NuForce 1A-7 V2 integrated amp. Yes, it's a bit over your budget, but I think it would give you exactly what you're looking for and satisfy you for years to come. If you want to keep it to $1K or below, try to find a recently discontinued PS Audio Trio integrated. I've seen those on closeout for around $1K awhile back, but not recently.
doggg
31 posts
 
I have sonus faber grand piano homes and have tried many different amps/preamps with them. From everything I've tried (including some very nice amps: classe, jolida, cinepro,levinson) they sounded best with a b&k amp preamp setup(ref20 and 200w matching amp). I have them hooked up to a onkyo 906 receiver now and I have to agree about onkyo matching very nicely with the pianos. Almost as good as the b&k.
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