The guy I bought my Eidolons from was driving them with all Pass and 160's. His room was much larger than mine and the positioning was maybe ten to twelve feet apart very toed in and about three feet from an all glass back wall.
We listened to CD's for about an hour. I new there was more to these speakers than what I was hearing.
Once I got them set up at home, using the Avalon positioning method as a guide and driving them with my Audible M3A and my trusty PS Audio HCA-2 that they truly came alive. Even though this guy's room and setup made it difficult to hear his system properly he played the SFSO Mahler No.6 2nd Movement. The same piece in my room was much more fleshed out. When he increased the volume for only a few seconds they sounded uncomfortably loud. I've had them much louder and they're very easy to listen to, not at all fatiguing. Just how much his setup or the electronics contributed to the poor sound he was getting I won't speculate.
I'm hoping you'll consider auditioning Ayre's new mono blocks and report back.
Sorry I'm not much help but I'll vote no on the 160's.
We listened to CD's for about an hour. I new there was more to these speakers than what I was hearing.
Once I got them set up at home, using the Avalon positioning method as a guide and driving them with my Audible M3A and my trusty PS Audio HCA-2 that they truly came alive. Even though this guy's room and setup made it difficult to hear his system properly he played the SFSO Mahler No.6 2nd Movement. The same piece in my room was much more fleshed out. When he increased the volume for only a few seconds they sounded uncomfortably loud. I've had them much louder and they're very easy to listen to, not at all fatiguing. Just how much his setup or the electronics contributed to the poor sound he was getting I won't speculate.
I'm hoping you'll consider auditioning Ayre's new mono blocks and report back.
Sorry I'm not much help but I'll vote no on the 160's.