![]() ![]() And that's because it doesn't go quite as far as the Dynaco Stereo 70 Mk II in trying to sound like a modern transistor amplifier. But here I am, faced with the closest thing yet to a Dynaco Stereo 70 for the 1990s. Heaven knows I have no special or particular fondness for Sonic Frontiers, and no signals from audio's jungle drums told me to expect miracles. Maybe it's because the month had an 'R' in it. And if the TVA 50 sounded big, then the SFS-40 (when used within its power capabilities) sounded gargantuan. Regardless of the cables I used (neither amplifier liked pure silver, I hasten to add), regardless of the speaker (within reason), the SFS-40 was always identifiable because of its clarity, speed and openness. So 'un-vintage' is the sound of the SFS-40 that I couldn't even compromise the modern levels of transparency when changing to older, well-worn tubes. Yet it sounds so right, the Sonus faber/Sonic Frontiers combo, that I wonder if the companies' identical initials are mere coincidence. But the SFS-40 delivers higher levels before it starts to clip, almost independently of load, so maybe the Minima Amators aren't the ideal match, especially if your room is much larger than 5x4m. Let's dismiss its greatest weakness straight away: this is not the gutsiest amplifier I have ever heard, even though sounds will issue forth from Extremas and WATTs when driven by it. The company rated the amp at 45W per channel, slightly less than the TVA 50, but although a newer design, it was based on classic circuitry Original brochure for the Sonic Frontiers SFS-40. Which makes the SFS-40 one hell of a party trick. It is, in fact, one of very few products I've tried this year which has left me puzzled by the contradictions it presents. This amplifier incorporates all that the loonies have learned to love about image specificity, inner detail, ambience, transparency and control. Forget the archaic presence of tubes, the plain black transformers and the raw steel. It's the opposite situation for the Sonic Frontiers SFS-40, which emerges as a wolf in sheep's clothing. Maybe it's because the amp works sublimely in the midband, with the frequency extremes and absolute transparency relegated to secondary roles. Expect to snap, crackle and pop like one of the Kellogg's triplets and you'll leave with a frown. Expect vintage tube sound and you won't be disappointed. This shouldn't worry the romantics, provided that an audition with the Papworth TVA 50 is accompanied by a forgiving attitude. And, as the Sonus faber speaker doesn't lose that much in the lower registers, you can hear it a bit too easily. Thrash/speed metal proved to be the only material which caused it any grief the rapid-fire, over-engineered bass runs in the latest Venom 'best of' emerged from the TVA 50 in a muddle, as far from the military precision of Krell bass as you can get. The TVA 50 always sounded like a large amplifier, capable of handling powerful material, from marching bands to bombastic heavy metal. Rated at 50W per channel by Papworth, the TVA 50 is powered by four E元4s, with ECC83s and ECC81s completing the tube lineup, all visible through the 'Aztec stepped tower' slatted chassisįortunately, it's also 'big-sounding', so it didn't compromise the one aspect of the Minima Amator's performance which lifts it into the category of 'remarkable'. Though unlikely to be mistaken for a Radford STA25 or Quad II, it's abundantly warm, rosy and lush. For all its modernity, the TVA 50 leans towards the vintage. Whatever the commonality of their output tubes may suggest, the two amplifiers were as far apart sonically as they were aesthetically. This meant that I was able to conduct most of the listening sessions with a loudspeaker I adore, rather than one which merely worked with the test subjects. But bliss arrived in the form of the wee Sonus faber Minima Amator, undeniably my favourite small speaker of all. Again, they managed to work the trick with a Wilson WATTs/ Puppies combination, although neither liked the Apogee Stage, an affordable speaker looking for an affordable tube amp if ever there was one. Admittedly, they'd clip like a barber on amphetamines if the volume was pushed, but at normal levels there were no clues as to the limitations of either unit. Both designs were able to drive Sonus faber Extremas to listenable levels I kid you not. ![]()
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