Best power amp to match Sonus Extrema speakers

I would venture a guess that a McCormack DNA 0.5 Rev. A or perhaps a pair of them would do wonders with the Extremas.

A friend of mine in Canada owned the Extremas for years (and recently sold them) had for a number of years powered them with a McCormack DNA-2 LAE(Limited Anniversary Edition) amp.

The DNA 0.5 is pretty legendary in stock form and a Rev A or Rev A Gold could put things over the top. In the right setup, a Rev A should sound like neither tube nor solid state, yet provide the best charactistics of both.

-IMO

I would suggest a Pass X-250 or Pass X-350.

Meridian 557 amps bridged.
McCormack DNA-2 Deluxe Revision A amp
Theta Digital ENTERPRISE MONO blocks
Llano A-300 mono blocks
Classe Cam 300 amps.

I also forgot to mention, I wouldn't use tube amps on the Extremas. The Extremas need lots of power. I'v found high powered solid state amps sound best on them.

I currently drive my Extremas with Convergent Audio Technology JL-1 Monoblock tube amps using KT-90's as output tubes.....in one sentence they are the sound i have been searching for in my 30 years of being an audiophile!...i originally mated the Extrema with Classe CA-301 and they sounded very thin and lifeless with linited dynamics....do the research and you will be happy you did!...you can e-mail me with questions.

Jeff

I used the Extremas with a pair of Linn Klimax 500 monoblocks (290 WPC).This combo was superb: amazing speed, dynamics and "slam". The midrange was very natural and fully textured and the refinement in the treble simply incredible. No harshess, brightness or edginess - just beautifully smooth, natural and involving presentation. The Linns are IMHO some of the best solid state amps avaiable. They can be had used for a little less than 10K although they don't show up here often.
Good luck!

I owned Extrema for years as well, and I will recommend solid state for Extrema as much as I hate solid state. I had Sonic Frontiers Power 3 (220wpc) pushing them for most of the time, but 10% of music I played would clip the Power 3. I guess if I invest in dedicate outlets for the Power 3, it would not have happened.

Pass X600 will be my number one choice. At the time I had Extrema, McCormack DNA-2 was the best, ever surpassed Rowland 8TiHC.

Add high power Accuphase. Running P800 on them and don't feel the power is limited. Extrema loves power/current, the more the better. Normal size tube amps hardly get enough current unless you really want to afford tens of power tubes. Because extrema can and good at being loud, putting it in a reasonable large room with high current amps is the key.

Hi Semi,

With all due respect to Power 3, it not even close to CAT amps which brunogolf@aol.com is suggesting. JL series are rated 100W class A but the output transformers are 55lb each and have limitless power reserve, around 500W. Ken Stevens himself drives Wilson Grand Slamms without any problem with JL2. If an amplifier can get good bass from Grand Slamms, there are very few speakers in the real world that Amp can not drive. I own JL2 and I think it has the best of both worlds, SS and Tube. It is the only tube amp with the bass which can challange that of Symphonic Line kraft 400 monos(400W class A SS, the best bass on planet earth!) although does not quite get there.
Compliments to your speakers, I think there are the best Sonus Faber has ever made.

How about Jadis JA200's or something big and mono from Paul at tube research labs?

Nice speakers,congratulations. I would try a Gryphon DM100 or Antileon.

My goal is to own that same pair of speakers, and I intend on driving them with a Levinson 23.5.

LAMM, Gryphon, bigger Rowlands - guts and finesse.
With LAMM and Rowland support is excellent. With Gryphon you may have to ship them to Denmark if something goes wrong though there might be a distributor here, I am not sure. Which one? It will depend on your preferances. Personally I would try LAMM first and probably Gryphon second.