Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature 400~Seven

By Augie Bettencourt

Introduction

Bob Carver is legendary in the audiophile world, and is the creative force behind Sunfire Corporation. He was originally known for his two-channel amplifiers, and later as the inventor of the first mini-cube subwoofer. He is also known for packing tremendous power and value into everything he builds, as well as his innovative designs. Could this man whose name is synonymous with big, powerful, two-channel amplifiers, also create the most powerful, seven-channel amplifier on the planet? Read on.

Features

I unboxed the Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature 400~seven and was immediately impressed by its beautiful finish, and impressive metal work. It's a real looker, with a front panel that features a meter, which indicates the current joule rating. One thing that really surprised me is its compact size. Considering its rated power of 400 watts x seven- channels, I expected a bigger and heavier piece of equipment. At 17 inches wide, 5.9 inches high, 16.7 inches deep and weighing in at 34 pounds, it's definitely not a large amplifier by audiophile standards. With its stated power rating of 400 watts x seven- channels, I cannot think of a more powerful, seven-channel amplifier on the market. If this isn't impressive enough, the amplifier doubles its output each time you halve the load impedance. Sunfire claims this amplifier can actually produce 1,600 Watts per channel into 2 ohms on a limited time basis, which is indeed "grand." The reason the Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature 400~seven can deliver this massive amount of power, is due to the tracking down converter Bob Carver has designed. Besides an attractive face and brute force, the Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature 400~seven also has an abundant rear panel with connectivity to suit almost any user. The binding posts are 5-way and are very solid. Each input features three connection options, two RCA unbalanced and one XLR balanced. This allows an owner who has, say, an audiophile pre-amp to hook it up to this amp, as well as a home theater processor. Then the beauty of the sacred two-channel system can be enjoyed as well as the whazoo of home theater.


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Music Sound

My reference speakers, the Martin Logan Prodigys, Martin Logan Theater i and Martin Logan Aeons, are very difficult speakers to drive with a wimpy amplifier, so I was eager to see what this amplifier could do. The first CD I listened to was Keb Mo's self-titled CD and the song "Every Morning" (Epic Records). Keb Mo's vocals had a very open, natural sound, with excellent soundstage width and depth. His guitar had proper acoustic tonal balance with an airy quality. Every pluck of his guitar was heard with very distinct accuracy. The bass was tight and accurate, but lacked some of the authority and slam of my $10,500, reference Krell amplifier. 

Next up was "Digging a Ditch" (RCA Records). The sound of Matthews' voice had a very natural, open quality and the Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature 400~seven produced a convincing soundstage. I turned the volume up, not only did the amplifier not hiccup, but it was able to drive my reference system to deafening levels.

The last CD I listened to was Norah Jones' Come Away With Me (Capitol Records) and her hit single of the same name. Jones' vocals have a very lush, full, palatable sound that is easy on the ears. Her vocal tone and piano playing have a delicate, natural quality that made me feel as if she were right there in the room with me. The Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature 400~seven reproduced this reference recording with good harmonic texture and its wide-open soundstage was impressive

Movie Sound

"Gangs of New York" (Buena Vista Home Entertainment ) is a stunning visual treat, as is typical of films directed by Martin Scorsese. Separation across all channels was engaging, which made for an astoundingly rich, three-dimensional experience. U2's soundtrack contribution, the song "The Hands That Built America," sounded great, perfectly balanced in the mix and with plenty of surround activity.

Next up was "Minority Report" (DreamWorks), which has a very aggressively mixed soundtrack and is probably Steven Spielberg's best film since "Saving Private Ryan." All channels were active for most of the movie and the Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature 400~seven created a convincing, 360-degree soundfield that drew me into the movie. It was wonderfully rendered with a nice, open soundstage and I was again surprised at this amplifier's ability to fill my large listening room with sound and to drive my seven Martin Logan speakers to beyond acceptable listening levels. 

Conclusion

Bob Carver is well known in the audio industry for innovative products, but he has really outdone himself this time. This lightweight amplifier is crammed with more technology than I would expect, even for a Bob Carver design. It lives up to his standard of bulletproof designs with great sound. I have never heard a more powerful, seven-channel amplifier with a more natural, open-sounding midrange or a more convincing soundstage and I've definitely never known a multi-channel amplifier that could drive a seven-channel, Martin Logan home theater to such ear-splitting levels. At $4,495 the Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature 400~seven is not cheap, but is a bargain considering what it offers. I highly recommend this amplifier to anyone who wants a powerful, seven-channel amplifier that can compete with some of the best two-channel amplifiers on the planet.

For more information please visit the Sunfire Corporation website: