What amplifier suits a Sonus faber

People ask this more than any other Sonus faber question, usually because they already own an amplifier they like and want to know whether it will do. Most of the time it will. Sonus faber loudspeakers play loud without much power. The question is less about watts and more about what kind of sound you want the pair to make.

What the loudspeakers ask for

Sonus faber publishes a recommended power range for each Sonetto G2 model, and the ranges are wide:

Model	Recommended amplifier power
Sonetto I G2	30 to 150 watts
Sonetto II G2	30 to 200 watts
Sonetto III G2	50 to 280 watts
Sonetto V G2	50 to 320 watts
Sonetto VIII G2	50 to 400 watts

Further up, the Serafino G2 is rated at 90 dB sensitivity and the Amati G5 and Amati Supreme at 91 dB, which is on the efficient side for loudspeakers of their size. A good 50-watt amplifier will play any of them. A larger amplifier buys ease in a big room and at high volume, not a different loudspeaker.

What they do reward is current. Independent measurements of the Sonetto V G2 show its impedance dipping below 3 ohms in the bass, so a well-built amplifier with a strong power supply matters more than a large number on the front panel.

What we have set them up with

Over the past few years we have built a great many Sonus faber systems in our two listening rooms. These are the pairings we know first-hand.

McIntosh. The classic match, and the one we set up most. We have run the Sonetto II with the MA252 and the MA8950, the Sonetto V G2 and Sonetto VIII G2 with the MA352 hybrid and the MA8950, the Concertino G4 with the MC462, and the Olympica G3 with MC611 monoblocks. When the first Sonettos arrived we put a pair of Sonetto Vs on the 300-watt MA9000 and were surprised by how much bass and drive came out of them.

“I’ve been putting these two together for almost 20 years, and it has never once been a mistake. McIntosh is smooth, relaxed and effortless, with a little warmth and richness, and Sonus faber brings the voice. The MA12000, with tubes in the front and solid state behind, is my favorite way to do it in one box: it stays composed and in control with a Sonetto VIII at any volume, and it is easy on the ears for hours. The blue meters don’t hurt either.”

John Loranger, Pearl Audio

Burmester. We have paired the 232 integrated with the Sonetto II, the Olympica Nova V and the Serafino G2, the 101 with the Guarneri G5, the 909 MK5 with the Sonetto VIII G2, the 032 and 216 with the Sonetto V, and a pair of 218s with the Lilium. Burmester suits the Homage models especially well. It is powerful and refined, with real grip and control and a great deal of insight. The tonality is sweet, and it is never clinical. With a Serafino or a Guarneri the result is balanced, clear and detailed. The 232 is a good place to start: one box, streaming built in, and enough authority for any Sonus faber short of the Reference models.

Luxman. The L-509Z with the Serafino G2 and the Sonetto VIII G2, and the L-505Z with the Sonetto II. Luxman is natural and organic, with a textured, intimate way with voices and instruments. With the L-509Z on a pair of Serafinos, one of us called it a musical hug, and nobody has come up with a better description since.

Pass Labs. The XA30.8 with the Sonetto VIII G2, more than once. Thirty watts of Class A should not be enough for a Sonetto VIII, and yet it sounds effortless, with a sweet, warm, delicate quality that is its own. It suits someone who listens at sensible volumes and cares most about voices and acoustic instruments.

Audio Research. The Reference 160S with the Reference 6SE preamplifier on the Serafino G2, and in earlier years the LS28 and VT80SE on the first Sonettos. With Audio Research tubes, a Sonus faber opens up: clean, clear and dynamic, with the dimensional stage and bloom the Reference series is known for.

MOON. The Compass and North collections with the Olympica G3. MOON is fast and transparent, with real grip. It adds no warmth of its own, so what you hear is the loudspeaker’s. With the Olympica G3 the result is direct and tangible without losing the Sonus faber voice.

Smaller systems. The Sonetto II has worked well for us on a Rega Brio, a Linn Majik DSM and the McIntosh MA252. A first Sonus faber system does not need separates.

Tubes or solid state

Either. Solid state brings grip and scale; tubes bring bloom and dimension to the midrange the brand is known for. A hybrid such as the McIntosh MA12000 or MA352 gives a good deal of both.

The source matters as much

Nearly every system above had a dCS Lina or a Linn Selekt DSM in front of it, and several had a Sondek LP12. Sonus faber loudspeakers are forgiving, but they are also revealing enough to show a better source clearly. If the budget is fixed, we would sooner see it spread across source, amplifier and loudspeaker than spent mostly on one.

How to decide

Bring the amplifier question to us before you buy either half. Tell us what you own, how large the room is and what you listen to, and we will set up the two or three pairings that make sense so you can hear the difference for yourself. Call (503) 222-2599 or write to sales@pearlaudio.com.

See also: Sonetto G2: what came down from Suprema