I've been running a set of Sophia 3s for about 6 years with CJ amp/preamps: ET3SE/ET250S and then moved to ET5/MF2550.
I have loved my CJ/Sophia combo for years (and still do).
I was more than willing to trade out the lumpy bass of the ET205S for it's glorious midrange. Moving upstream to an ET5 and then the MF2550 improved the sound across the board and definitely tightened up the bass...it was a magical pre/amp combo with these speakers.
(I recently replaced the MF2550 with a Pass Labs XA25. The MF2550 had a location-specific buzz that I couldn't get rid of, so it went to my second system, where it doesn't buzz. ???)
In all the years I've had the Sophia's, I've found that the "hot treble" that people talk about really depends on your cables and your hardware. With the ET3SE, yes, hot treble, even with the hybrid ET250S amp.
Once I moved to a complete Shunyata Sigma cable loom (save for SCs), put in a Shunyata Triton & Typhon, and the ET5/MF2550 combo, no hot treble. YMMV
Finally, I will say that the Pass XA25 is an awesome amp for the very dynamic Sophia's...it makes the CJ amps sound bass-shy, flat, and muffled by comparison. No hot treble with the Pass either.
I have loved my CJ/Sophia combo for years (and still do).
I was more than willing to trade out the lumpy bass of the ET205S for it's glorious midrange. Moving upstream to an ET5 and then the MF2550 improved the sound across the board and definitely tightened up the bass...it was a magical pre/amp combo with these speakers.
(I recently replaced the MF2550 with a Pass Labs XA25. The MF2550 had a location-specific buzz that I couldn't get rid of, so it went to my second system, where it doesn't buzz. ???)
In all the years I've had the Sophia's, I've found that the "hot treble" that people talk about really depends on your cables and your hardware. With the ET3SE, yes, hot treble, even with the hybrid ET250S amp.
Once I moved to a complete Shunyata Sigma cable loom (save for SCs), put in a Shunyata Triton & Typhon, and the ET5/MF2550 combo, no hot treble. YMMV
Finally, I will say that the Pass XA25 is an awesome amp for the very dynamic Sophia's...it makes the CJ amps sound bass-shy, flat, and muffled by comparison. No hot treble with the Pass either.