Which Counterpoint amp do you have? .... tube or ss?
I have been running an NPS400 with Basic upgrade for nearly 5 years. When I got it to compare to my far more expensive ARC Classic 150 mono amps, I was shocked to hear what a superior performer the NPS400 was over the ARCs. The ARCs were fatiguing and flat. Preamp at the time was a BAT 31SE which like the NPS400 was a bit soft on the top. They worked well together in the portrayal of voice, massed strings, midrange fullness, etc., but this combination lacked the detail on top....not an ideal match, but very musical.
I have since gone with Wolcott and CAT JL-3 amps as my primary amps, and to the Aesthetix Io/Callisto as preamp, but when the other amps are down due to tube failures, or I want to keep the heat down in the room, I switch back to the NPS400 and it is VERY good with the Aesthetix. And this amp drives tough loads like Magnepan 3.5 and SoundLab A1.
Having spent a couple months earlier this year with the CAT Ultimate II preamp, this is the "best" tonality match to the NPS400 that I have so far heard. The CAT provides greater reach to the frequency extremes that the NPS400 lacks, and the NPS400 adds that fullness in the mids that the CAT lacks. Oh you want dynammics? .... that is the CAT's strength. But the Aesthetix preamp pair brings on an awesome portrayal of space, decays, etc., that the Ultimate can't touch so it's not just about tonality. You really need to try a few of these and determine which one locks in well for you.
