thinking to buy Luxman M900u mono , what other similar amps should i look? for Focal Maestro

[pelo911]

i don't know anything about all the technical stuff about amps

damping factor , high current , etc.
what make one amp better then the other.

Focal Maestro


https://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/focal_maestro_utopia_iii_loudspeaker/index.html

"The magnitude lies below 4 ohms in this region, with a plunge to just 1.7 ohms at 111Hz rather than the specified minimum of 3 ohms."

"which will also demand very high currents from the amplifier. As all music has considerable energy in this region, the Focal's owner will have to use an amplifier that can genuinely deliver high powers into 2 ohms if the speaker is to be allowed to sing as it should"

"This makes the Maestro Utopia III a distinctly schizophrenic load for the partnering amplifier: very difficult for any amp to drive in the upper bass, but very amplifier-friendly in the upper midrange and treble. It is a good thing, therefore, that the Focal is very sensitive, playing very loud with only a few watts of power."

"It wasn't until the 600W Classé amplifiers took up residence in the system that I felt the Maestro Utopias were really giving me the dynamics they had promised all along."

what are my options?

thanks a lot

 

[andromedaaudio]

Boulder 2060 is often chosen to give energy slurping speakers the right kick in the butt

 

[pelo911]

Boulder 2060 is often chosen to give energy slurping speakers the right kick in the butt

yes , killer amp
but very old , very hard to find

 

[andromedaaudio]

They have a new version now 2160.
On the cheap but also old ML 432 .I havent heard the latest ML amps

 

[pelo911]

i have Vitus SM-101
but one of the amp not working after thunderstorm
so i want to check other options

 

[gestalt]

Lamm Industries M2.2 would sort you out.

disclaimer: I'm a Lamm dealer.

 

[Dimfer]

Check out Gryphon Mephisto Solo.. .013 ohm. a friend bought these because of this ability

 

[microstrip]

The speaker has a very low impedance, needing current but has an excellent efficiency 92.6dB/W. IMHO no need for 600W at all - just pick an amplifier able to supply current. The Lamm hybrids should be good matches, unless you listen very loud in a large room.

 

[chuck]

Boulder also makes the 3060.

 

[andromedaaudio]

i have Vitus SM-101
but one of the amp not working after thunderstorm
so i want to check other options

That is one of the topchoices i doubt SS will get much better then that .
First have it checked by a tech may be its a fuse or a small thing.
A dealer recommended the lamm 2.2 thats the 18 watt set right .
No that aint working with low imp design

 

[andromedaaudio]

If you re after a sound character change, you d be better of changing the pre amp

 

[gestalt]

A dealer recommended the lamm 2.2 thats the 18 watt set right

You're thinking of the ML2.2. The M2.2 is a high power hybrid design.

 

[andromedaaudio]

You're thinking of the ML2.2. The M2.2 is a high power hybrid design.

Yup my mistake

 

[tima]

...
A dealer recommended the lamm 2.2 thats the 18 watt set right .
No that aint working with low imp design

The Lamm 2.2 yields 40 amps peak and 600 Watts into 1 Ohm. Class A/B. .

 

[pelo911]

If you re after a sound character change, you d be better of changing the pre amp

i don't have Preamp
i plug my PC to Vitus RD-100 DAC Preamp
and listen to music using Tidal.

the Vitus amp on the way to the service center , need to replace the board.

to be honest i don't feel any difference between the Vitus and the Pass X350.5
the sound is not dynamic , the low end is "weak"
the focus is more on the twitter
the Focal making very "realistic" sound , but i'm missing strong mid and low
more "weight".
i don't if that's how the speakers are or if it's the electronics.

and i general since i didn't compare with other amp
i would like to try and see what i like the most

i can think on those , but i'm not sure which ones can match:
d'agostino momentum or progression
simaudio 860a v2
soulution 511 or 711
Luxman m900u
Constellation Centaur II or Inspiration

reviews for example:

"the Momentum is capable of
delivering 300 watts of power into 8 ohms, 600 watts
into 4 ohms, and 1200 watts into 2 ohms. High power,
however, does not mean the loss of even the subtlest
detail. The Momentum has exceptional deep bass and
is as musically realistic in the midrange as the recording
permits, with an open and upper midrange to match,
and an extended treble without any edge. Soundstage
quality will be as excellent in size, depth, and width"

Constellation:

"Very high resolution and voluptuous tone color generally don’t
go together in hi-fi gear, and when they do—as in Class A triode
tube circuits or Class A solid-state ones—they do so at a price in
neutrality. Such amps and preamps seem to have what Raidho’s
brilliant chief engineer Michael Børresen wittily calls a “bottomup”
kind of sound. That is, their sonic “center of gravity”
seems to lie in the upper bass and lower midrange. Though the
250Wpc Constellation Performance Series Centaur stereo amp
would probably qualify as a “bottom-up” amp, in that it has a
slightly darkish overall balance (though it is not the fullest s-s
amp in the bottom-most octaves JV has heard), it doesn’t trade
off as much upper-midrange and treble-range air and bloom
as typical Class A amps do. It has gorgeous color and texture
on top, coupled with an uncanny ability to resolve very fine
details without etching or “spotlighting” them. Given the right
ancillaries and sources, the Centaurs are among the loveliest,
highest-resolution, most lifelike solid-state amps JV has yet
heard"

 

[andromedaaudio]

I looked at a 2010 focal maestro Utopia 3 review by stereophile the JA measurements dont show a bass shy speaker.
I dont know if the vitus sm 101 monos are stable in your speaker load but i would think so , but you can look it up , those are supposed to be real class A monsters.
I think what you should try is a good pre amp in the mix it doesnt have to be uberexpensive.
Audio research makes good pre s CAT pre s are great.
Regarding sold state i always think the old ml 32 had excellent bass control

 

[pelo911]

I looked at a 2010 focal maestro Utopia 3 review by stereophile the JA measurements dont show a bass shy speaker.
I dont know if the vitus sm 101 monos are stable in your speaker load but i would think so , but you can look it up , those are supposed to be real class A monsters.
I think what you should try is a good pre amp in the mix it doesnt have to be uberexpensive.
Audio research makes good pre s CAT pre s are great.
Regarding sold state i always think the old ml 32 had excellent bass control

right , and also with the Pass amp
it's very heavy and power amp as well

but i have a preamp
check this:
https://vitusaudio.com/files/6422/upload/images/series/reference/specs/RD-100-2017 v.1.0.pdf

 

[GSOphile]

Two Gryphon amps you might consider are the Antileon EVO and the Mephisto, both available in mono and stereo configurations. These are powerful Class A amps that can drive 1 ohm loads.

 

[sbnx]

Basically, you are looking for an amp that would be stable and doubling down into a 2 ohm load. Any traditional solid state amplifier that can do this is going to need large heat sinks.

Any Gryphon amplifier -- Anileon EVO, Colosseum or Mephisto. These have an iron grip in the bass and are not intimidated by any speaker.
The Lam M1.2 would work.
The big boulder amps
The Mola-Mola Kaluga class D should also work. Class D amps work differently. They can support very low impedance without needing a huge heatsink.
A pair of Luxman M800u's would also be good. They show up on the used market sometimes
The M900u says it will go to a 1 ohm load. Although I don't know how hard you could really push it.
On the tube side -- Convergent Audio Technology -- CAT JL5 or JL7

All of these would have a different sound when coupled to the speaker load. It is unfortunate, but there really is no way to know until you hook it up and listen. If you read the reviews of these amps they can give you a general feel for the type of presentation each has to offer -- dry, analytical, warm etc.

 

[sbo6]

Have you measured your room to ensure you're not sitting in a room mode with a large bass dip? Maybe the amp is adequate and you need to adjust via room treatment, DSP and / or subs?