Need amp match advice to drive Eggleston Andras


I'm new to this sight and to the world of "high-end" audio gear - so much equipment, so little time, and so few places (that I'm aware of) to audition it.

I would like some experienced thoughts and advice on which amps, or amp characteristics, may or may not work well with a pair of Eggleston Andras (not the Andra II's.) They are currently amp-less. I have only heard them through a Krell FBP 300c and ML 39 CD, which was used when I auditioned them in a fellow audiophiles home.

My thoughts so far are Krell 300c, Pass Labs X-250 or X-350, Classe CAM 350's.

I think the speakers will need juice, and the mids (so I have been told) are unique in the Eggleston somehow, that the amp goes directly to them?? and that they are responsible for a much larger frequency range than most other speakers’ mids. Don't know if that matters? They are 8-ohm speakers.

My amp criteria:
1) 3k to 5k (used/demo)
2) SS (I like the idea of tubes, but think they may be cost prohibitive to get the power I will need to get the low-end frequency presence that I desire from the Andras.)
3) Flexibility to work well with either an SS or a Tube pre-amp.
4) Easily accessible through US dealers and Audiogon - Gryphon’s sound interesting but where? How much?

Gear I have heard thus far:

1) Krell
Krell FBP 300c
ML 39 CD
Eggleston Andras - mine :)
I liked that I could follow Rodby's bass lines in Metheny's Secret Story (SS) and Speaking of Now CD's, however track 3 on SS was missing some ultra-low thing that the Classe/Revel F50's presented (or accentuated, good or bad? Could have been the different rooms?) It did seem bright on a lot of other selections (could be harshness in the source material? Which, if it's on the CD I want the system to present it, good or bad.) I did like the dynamics and presence.

2) McIntosh
Mac MC 352 (plastic knobs on a 4K amp?)
Mac C 2200 tube pre-amp
B&W naut 803's
Mac CD
I liked the warmth and overall tone, but lacked the low frequency, detail, depth, and staging of other things I heard.

3) Classe
Classe CAM 200's
Classe 47.5 pre-amp and a CJ 17ls (2 day old, not broken in)
Meridian CD ($3,500 model?)
Revel F-50's

4) Spectral
DMA 100S amp
DMC 15 pre
Meridian CD
Revel F-50's

Liked the Classe gear a bit more than the Spectral due to bass. I could follow the bass in the Classe better (100 watts p/c difference?), and the presence seemed substantive. However the Spectral seemed to have a wider soundstage, albeit seemed more holographic, not quite as "thick", (I'm reaching for terms here.) Using the CJ pre, (with the CAM 200's) the Bass lost some presence and some details. Tonally it seemed very nice.

Sampling of the music CD's I used:
Pat Metheny - Speaking of Now, Secret Story
Sarah Jane Morris w/ Mark Ribot (Guitar and Vocal)
Aphex Twin - hyper electronic stuff
Rickey Lee Jones - Flying Cowboys and Ghosty Head
John Patitucci - Backwoods Bass solo
Miles Davis - Bags Groove and Kind of Blue
Other rock and Jazz and some classical

I like Bass, but I want the whole package! Detail, warmth, truth, soundstage, off-access response, ability to put speakers next to the wall with no boominess, warm the car up in the morning lol.......

Thanks for any and all responses.
128x128jim63
Hi. I used a pair of Classe CAM-350's with Andras for several years. They are a perfect choice for these speakers, and probably drive them as well as anything twice as expensive. But if, as I understand your post, you already have Andras, don't miss the deal of a lifetime--send them back to EW for conversion to Andra II's. Cost is $2750 plus $500-$600 shipping, and they are another league altogether from the originals. (See my review of the conversion on Audiogon; details are on the EW site.) Plus you can practically do it for free--the Classe CAM-200's are not powerful enough to drive the original Andras in a good-sized room, but they are more than enough for the Andra II's, which are far more efficient. The list on the 200's, as I remember, is about $3,000 less, and you won't get an opportunity this good for a long time, if ever.
Right now I have also andra,I order the stratos extreme
monos from Klaus, According to him. they will work just
fine, Ill see when they arrive.I heard the andra from
my sa 100, its sound good, Ill make a guess the 102 will
even work better, although, I heard the andras with classe,
they sound good, with Krell i think they seems too sound
lean, and bright, I dont find them matching well.I will
audition the 102 with andras.
I'm currently using MC1201's and loving it. You may want to try an MC500 or MC602 to stay within budget. It won't have all the thunder of the 1201's but it will get you real close.
Also using the c2200 with a dodson D/A and sony scd-1.

when you heard that system with the mc352 the lack of detail was more than likely that of the mac cd esspecialy if it was their dvd combo unit which lacks detail and sound stage. Even their 2 piece unit is like that. I've had both.
Thanks to everyone for all your feedback. Now I have to figure out how to demo some of this stuff. I'd like to hear a McCormack DNA 2 (there apears to be a few models), and a Pass X 250 or 350 to compare to the Classe CAM 200's I heard, although I need to hear them driving the Andras. The Stratos Extreme threads are a very interesting read. If you have any more info or suggestions, please share. I'll post as I audition and ultimately purchase.
jim 63, one of our audiophile bro, mentioned that the
stratos monoblock are good, after comparing them with
plinius, mc intosch, classe, he end up buying the
monoblock stratos, He said this sound more of classe,
Now that extreme are probably much better than the
monos, I like them because they are neutral, smooth,
with good bass, I assume they are not hard to match,
andras kind a hard to match,So i play safe for the price
and the performance,maybe i dont need to buy expensive
gear to play my andra, according to Klaus mine, will
arrive approx mid Feb.And besides Tyson,Alex,Stehno,and
Socrates, and Audiojerry this audiophile do really
know what they are talking about.Try to go audiocicle.com
they are talking about this twin xtreme stratos.Jim
let me know if you find a good match, i will also let
know, if the stratos are good.