Interesting experiences above by other members. Synergy is key, as always. When I first received my 761 it was paired with Opera Loudspeakers, Diva Callas (latest version). The Divas are interesting speakers. Very capable, excellent separation of fine detail, very resolving. Over time with the 761 I played around with different cables and found the 761 to be very revealing of upstream gear and pretty much all ancillary equipment. It is NOT a forgiving, rounded golden amp. It is pretty much dead neutral, presents a super low noise floor, is very fast; hard to summarize in a few words but it is an extremely highly capable amp. I am still learning more and more about music and tuning the system.
Fast forward: a few weeks ago I auditioned ATC SC40 passives with the 641/681 and was so impressed and blown away by the organic synergy and overall performance I purchased the SCM40s. It's been a pretty short time since I have been listening to the 761/ATC pairing but I know synergy when I experience it. This is synergy like Luxman/ Harbeth, or Pass/Wilson. If you need more power for sure go with the larger amp, but do not expect the native character or "house sound" of the North series to be greatly different. I heard this with the 641 in my own house on the same opera speakers. The 761 had more control and more overall reach in to the stage and all that, but the colors and dynamics of the source were able to shine through in all the glory in either case.
@kerrybh please update the thread if you get to hear the larger amp in your system! Happy trails!