Powerful Tube Amp for SF Strads?

Wow...Thanks Sirspeedy. Sounds pretty incredible. I will say the Zanden 5000S captured me, after only 5 minutes. I had struggled to do the DCS Elgar Plus 3x before ultimately deciding it was not for me in spite of how great it was.

I will look into the 9600s.

And yes, Downunder the Bernings are 30K. Nevertheless, i am someone who likes to listen to pieces like this so that either a) i determine i am going to keep looking, b) i understand the totality of what is achievable today, c) i decide i am either going to do something crazy like get them, or wait until a more sensible time to spring for them.

I bought my first boombox in 86, my first system 93-96, and have started the first upgrade in '05-'08. i have upgraded each component ONCE, and do not expect to look back for another 10+ years.

Thanks to the A'Goners, i have many things to audition before i decide: at the moment,

Wavac
Berning Quad Z
CJ LP 275
Zanden 9600

will be an adventure for sure!

Consider Audio Valve challenger 180 watt class A, built like a German tank. Amp, tubes fully protected, auto bias, tells you if tubes are weak. Sound is amazing bass best Ive heard out of a tube amp. Can run differant tube types. Can drive most any loudspeaker including electrostatics

Thanks JohnK! Will look into it!

The Audio Valve amps are indeed superb and I should have included them in my discussion (I usually do, but forgot). The 400, I believe, is one of the rare high-powered tube amps that truly sounds good. They will be expensive with the current exchange rate (assuming you are in the U.S.).

has anyone heard the Pass XA.5 upgraded class A amps??

I wonder how they would go with my Strads and how similar they sound to nice tubes in the upper frequencies.