Persona B Amp Recommendations


Looking for solid state amp recommendations for pairing with Persona B speakers. I prefer a neutral sound, or only slightly towards warmth. Price range up to about $8000. AR LS17SE pre also in the mix and this is a relatively neutral piece. Something not too scarce. New preferred. Music is a mix but leans toward rock, some jazz and vocals.

jaybe

A local dealer featured the persona line a couple years and my favorite pairing was the Pathos Logos mk2. I listened to the Anthem str integrated, STR amp/pre, a 60 watt lumin int. peachtree, and a couple others I can't think of. For those that think all amps sound the same, they've never listened thru the persona's!!! 

I ended buying the 7f after a year or so because the pathos gave them the natural tone and lifelike soundstage the other gear would present in different ways, cool, but different. 

My second choice was the little Lumin integrated class d like 60 total class d watts that stayed out of the way. I never turned the volume up with that one. The STR separates were very good, but made the images within the soundstage miniature?

Maybe placement also, idk. Pathos was affordable, around $5k BNIB, tube pre and 100 wpc a/b amp. 

Given what you’re looking for, some brands I’d look at off the top of my head would be Coda, Atmasphere GaN, AGD, Bryston, and Ayre.  Best of luck. 

op we sold Personnas for years the coda .8 should do it for you it is neutral with a hit of warmth 

 

Dave and Troy

audio intellect NJ

@ audiotroy

The 8 is what I was looking at. How would you say the warmth compares to Pass? More, less, different. I’m looking to move out the XA30.5 in the system now.

Can it ROCK?

You’re actually the closest Coda dealer but are 200+ miles away.

I use the Luminous Audio Technology Archimedes (Monoblocks) with my Paradigm Persona 3F's.  Fantastic - like they were made for each other.

(they replaced the Parasound A21+ in my system...which was very nice, but not quite in the Luminous class.)

The Tracking Angle (Dave McNair) has a very positive review of them.  (can't seem to insert the link...)

The may be running a bit more than your budget.

If interested, you might contact Luminous and see if they have a demo set available.

I also have the Luminous Audio AXIOM III preamp and ARION MK2 phono-pre.

R/

Dave

 

The CODA #8 (or #16) and Krell Duo 175XD would be excellent with the Persona. I have heard the Persona a few times and have owned all 3 amps I have listed. For the Persona, my first choice would be the KRELL.

The KRELL is super smooth and warmish. It would work great with the Be drivers on the Persona. The CODA is not as smooth nor as warm, but it has some warmth. I use a CODA #16 with the Yamaha NS5000. Your Persona is a similar in design to the predecessor to my NS5000, the NS1000 from the 1970s. That speaker had a tweeter and midrange made of Be, the same design as the Persona. My NS5000 has a material called Zylon that is similar to Be. It works great with the CODA.

There was a post on A’gon that KRELL will have a scaled down version of the KSA i400 which is a bit more advanced than the Duo XD lineup.

BTW - the CODA and KRELL hit hard

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