Powerful Tube Amp for SF Strads?

I hope I can be of some help,though not directly.

Last April,I was lucky enough to attend a superb demo of VAC,Zanden,and VTL electronics....

All A/B'd against each-other,on the JM Labs Nova Utopia speakers.This was in a good sized room,and we used both CD and LP's.A very good demonstration,based on the not so hot demoes I've attended over the years,in that room.

I think the Novas are about as sensitive as the Strads,and also dip in impedence in the bass freq.This should be a very similar speaker in sensitivity to different amps,I assume.

Bottom line,and quite surprising(to me).....

The 100 wpc VAC sounded superb and room filling.NO weakness on both CD or the LP's,being played.Loved the line,and especially the classy way the company owner handled himself.Real class!!

The VTL(BIG amps,and fuul line of pre/phonostage)sounded OK,but did not have the magic of the VAC,to me(I know many love the stuff).....Other attendees loved the bigger bass,but I felt it was a bit too dry.I got bored with the VTL's handling of timbre,but others liked the BIG sound.It did not float my boat,like the VAC stuff did.

The Zanden full line up(45wpc mono amps,pre/phono stage and CD player) was amazingly lifelike.Oh boy,this was nice!!

Of course we got the "full monty" treatment with the RIAA aspects of the fabulous phonostage.However the REAL surprise came by way of the ZANDEN mono amps.

These non high powered,but highly musical,amps "absolutely" filled a very large room (I'd guess about 20x30x12) with a huge sound stage,and had superb bass response.Very controlled,and very convincing in virtually all important areas....to me!Especially in timbral aspects of music,where I am a bit finicky.

Hope this helps.

Good luck...you won't need it -:)

Funny you mention the CJ 275,because my dear friend has just gotten that amp.He has all CJ ART components,and a fully loaded VPI table/arm/Lyra Titan-i cartridge,but the speaker is different from those mentioned here.

Thsy are highly modded Infinity RS-1bs.In truth(when modded "fully",including a crossover rebuild)these are about as revealing,and dynamic as anything "popular" today!Classic design.

The CJ 275 will only run the midbass/midrange/tweeter panels(the woofer towers are run by SS Krell).They'll start to come in at above 110 hz,or thereabouts.

Previously his sound,with the older CJ big boys has been superb,and he is an old school,extremely experienced 'phile!A great listening room as well....because.....

Regardless of what one thinks the particular sonic success of "any" system is the absolute combination of room/amp/speaker.....That's it,in a nutshell!!

They are not independant of oneanother!

He is currently experiencing some set-up problems,but I should be getting in some serious listening very soon.

Best