What solid state power amp are you using with your Harbeth Super HL5+ speakers?


Harbeth Super HL5+ speaker owners: Are you driving the Harbeths with a solid state amp? If so, what amp and how much power? Your impressions. I’ve been using a Conrad Johnson CA-150 (SS) integrated with my Harbeth SL5+ and the sound is nice but is underpowered at 135W@8ohms. Also, I would like a little more refinement with the amp. Bryston 4B3 perhaps? Thanks!
routeman21
I have the Harbeth Super HL 5+ 40th Anniversary speakers and I'm running them through a Pass Labs int 250. Absolutely love the combination. Sounds superb.
Using a Parasound a21+ driven by a Rogue Audio tube preamp.
Sound is as good as I could ask for.  Super smooth and refined.  
Using the SST Son of Ampzilla II with mine - 220W. LTA Microzotl MZ2 tube preamp. Tried the Benchmark ABH2 as well, didn't think it was underpowered at all at 100W (and I have a big room), but didn't like the sound as much. 
@routeman21 
Looks like I missed something important in your initial post:

Your impressions. I’ve been using a Conrad Johnson CA-150 (SS) integrated with my Harbeth SL5+ and the sound is nice but is underpowered at 135W@8ohms. Also, I would like a little more refinement with the amp.

My impressions of the following (from my previous response):

I have driven my SHL5+ 40ths with:

  • Bryston BP26 pre > Forte1A (class A 50 wpc)
           - 3rd place in refinement.  
           - First in musicality (non clinical?)  
           - Not as open sounding at higher volumes driving my B&W                   801 Matrix S2s or Maggies.

  • Bryston BP26 pre > Michael Yee Audio PA-1 (class A/B dual mono 100 wpc)
         - Still kind of new to this one (less than a month of recent time               with it since the move.)
         - Sounds a bit clearer than the Forte1A.

  • Bryston BP26 pre > Ampzilla 2000 2nd Edition (class A/B 300 wpc monoblocks)
           - Close but clear 1st place in refinement but better than the                    rest all around.  Especially at very low and moderately high                volumes.             

  • Hegel H190
           - 2nd place. Very close to the Ampzillas in refinement.
           - Possibly best match for the SHL5+40s up to just over                         moderate levels where the Ampzillas can just keep opening               up to higher levels

These impressions are based on 5 months in the new listening space (14 x 17x 9 wall to wall carpet, bass traps in the upper corners and some other minor treatments).
I work from home in my listening room so average over 5 hours a day listening.
I am also still a bit new to this hobby but have been a classical piano student throughout my life.
I listen to jazz, some rock and mostly classical piano.

Flipping the direction here, the Harbeths sounded better with these different amps overall than several other speakers of different types I keep in rotation.

Hope this helps!
hegels do very well driving harbeths

in fact, alan shaw (owner and chief designer) uses the h360 as his main amp in his workshop/lab in doing speaker testing