…after going thru several speakers since I consigned my Majestic 745s a year or so ago to The Music Room (TMR).. The problem with the SLs was that my room was too…cluttered, crowded…for these 39-inch-wide speakers and was essentially unsafe.. While they were consigned to TMR, I eliminated the source of the clutter at the front of the room, so back came the SLs!!!
They arrived yesterday, three of us got them into the room, and I got them running.. I adjusted the tonality down 3dB for bass and up somewhat for treble (compared with the settings I had used previously), and they sound FABULOUS.. I’ve found, over the 65-or-so years I’ve been an audiofool, that I love (1) full-height soundstages which means tall speakers which means line-source, not point-source, speakers, (2) very high resolution of the music, (3) the spaciousness of dipoles, and (4) that I don’t want subwoofers which have NEVER sounded exactly right with any of my speakers.. Large, full-height e’stats fill those requirements.. After I decided to have the M745s returned to me, I found a used pair of Pass XA60.8s, the same-model amps I had used previously, and they sound excellent driving the SLs.
I have more 2 more pairs of poweramps to try, Schiit Tyrs and PS Audio M1200s, plus probably the AGD class-D Duets, but whatever I end up with will produce less heat than the Passes.
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You might also want to check out Sanders Sound Systems Magtech amplifiers. I use (2) stereo versions of the Magtech with Sanders Model 10e ‘stats and they sound great. They are especially good at dealing with the very low impedance at higher frequencies encountered with ‘stats since they’re a capacitive load.
Congrats on getting your speakers back!
If it was me, I’d keep the Class A monoblocks and not even mess around with anything else. But you enjoy the experimenting (rightfully so). I know I have done my fair share of experimenting, and still put tube gear in from time to time.
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There is a certain magic to Class A amps. My very first tubed amp was Class A and while it was a decided PITA to bias it was also unmatched in some ways compared to any I’ve had since. While the ML Aerius that it was used together with was a hybrid ESL you were still able to hear how well they complimented each other.
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I freely admit to feeling that way about my pair of (hassle free, but hot) Atma-Sphere MA-1s. 14 output tubes per, class A, no output transformers.
I can almost hear the whoosh of the small tornado caused by the spinning of the wheel in my electric meter while I’m listening to music.
— Chris
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I’m interested in the AGD Duets as well. I run Martin Logan Summit’s and would appreciate to hear how they work with your SLs. My amp short list is similar to yours, Pass XA60.8s and X260.8s along with the AGD Duets.
Unfortunately there isn’t an AGD dealer near me. Hopefully they will be at the Florida International Audio Expo in Tampa next month.
I’d recommend a Bacch Adio for the SL speakers! Or Bacch 4 Mac. The Adio being a higher end piece.
“jim-kaporch
I’m interested in the AGD Duets as well. I run Martin Logan Summit’s and would appreciate to hear how they work with your SLs. My amp short list is similar to yours, Pass XA60.8s and X260.8s along with the AGD Duets. …”
These two Passes are two of the three best-sounding amps I found for my SLs last year.. The ‘260s were the first that sounded great, the PS Audio BHK600s were better yet, and the ‘60s were the best.
This afternoon, I connected my Schiit Tyrs to the SLs and surprised myself with the HIGHLY musical sounds they all produced.. I may never get to the Duets!
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" [jim-kaporch]: I’m interested in the AGD Duets as well. I run Martin Logan Summit’s and would appreciate to hear how they work with your SLs. My amp short list is similar to yours, Pass XA60.8s and X260.8s along with the AGD Duets."
To repeat a bit, during my first period of having the SLs, the first monoamp that I classified as ‘very good and good enough’ was a pair of Pass x260.8s.. Then I found and bought an affordable, used pair of PSA BHK600s that sounded a tad smoother but still highly resolving but which ran even hotter than the '260s, and then I discovered the far-more-powerful-than-indicated-by-its-60Watt-rating Pass XA60.8s.. They sounded better than even the BHKs, and they became my keepers…until I sent the SLs to TheMusicRoom.
After I asked TMR to return my SLs, I bought another used pair of XA60.8s, and my goodbuddyfelloaudiofool says the these '60s are the best-sounding amps he’s ever heard, and he may be absolutley correct.
FWIW, the X260.8 and XA60.8 are built in identical chassis and draw the same power (370Watts) at idle; I’m sure the '260s draw much more power at high outputs.
The very-cool-running Schiit Tyrs are still sounding excellent with the SLs, further expanding the list of candidates.
I’m still arguing with myself about hot-running amps, so we’ll just have to see what happens. 
