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The Finale is so potent in the midbass region that you could even contemplate making do without an extra subwoofer. The Finale really showcased Zu's macrodynamics and superlative tone whilst its sharpness overlapped perfectly with the gap in Zu's response curve to effectively tame that demon.
Being in an exploratory mood and having recently been reminded not to exclude anything due to preconceived notions when the SM-300B paired so unexpectedly well with my Rogers LS 3/5a speakers, I pulled the little Brits out of their closet once more to check how they would get on with the exuberant Finale amplifier.
All in all this went quite a bit better than expected. I mentioned in the SM-300B review that the Finale had the ability to push the Rogers' upper midrange into overdrive. Although that remained true, break-in and a more copasetic choice of ancillaries reduced the issue significantly. As much as the Trafomatic and Rogers were cut from the same cloth, the Finale and little Brits were oil and water when it came to character yet still the combination somehow worked as though the Finale injected some spunk and Latin blood into the reserved Rogers whilst the Rogers flashed their elegance of tone. The true surprise came again from the bass range where the F-7591 allowed the small bookshelf speakers to sound far bigger than they really are.
All in all it worked to perhaps make a good solution for a youthful stem cell injection for an otherwise reserved system but I would still caution prospective buyers about their choice of cabling and source to avoid turning the naturally finicky upper midrange of the Rogers into something unpleasant.
After reviewing Triode Labs' EL84TT and truly falling for its elegance, triode-like sweetness and rich sound, it took me a while to understand where this Finale amplifier sits in their line. It's to the credit of the designers that they could create amplifiers with such radically different personalities. I certainly would not consider this Finale a valid alternative for a triode on a budget. That badge of honour for now strictly resides with the EL84TT. I would also be cautious associating the F-7591 with peaky widebanders unless you were after a very incisive presentation. Unlike most amplifiers of yore when the 7591 tube was en vogue, the Finale is not a beautifying even-order harmonic generator but instead a sharp powerful-sounding driver far more at ease with fireworks than subtle tonal nuances.
With Zu and other meaty speakers it is a budget-wiser choice for somebody not looking for ultimate finesse but exciting balls-to-the-wall entertainment. When paired appropriately the Finale will be king of air-guitar time, parties and movies. I simply could not fall in love with it for soprano recitals and string quartets but that does not mean it won't do great in the right setup.
