The question "The Acoustat Delema"

Look for a used Acoustat TNT-200 amp. It was made for these speakers. I used to own this combo and it was superb! There is a place called Sounds Like New, where a former employee of Acoucstat who worked closely with Jim Stirckland modifies these amps and reportedly can transform a pair of them into awesome monoblocks.
Is you want something newer, the Hafler Line of Trans Nova amps are also desgigned by Jim Strickland, cofounder of Acoustat, and one of the larger amps would probably sound great with the Acoustats too.
Good listening,
Steven

I owned 1+1s for many years. The best sounding amp that I used with them was the CJ MV-55 tubed amp. It was not the best for the bottom end but was very rich in the lower mids.

I was also pleased with the CJ Premier 11 - better low end than the 55 but not as rich souding.

The best solid state I had was a Krell KSA-50. Outstanding bottom, exc. power even though 8 ohm rating was only 50 watts.

Second best SS - an Acoustat 120.

The Acoustats are so revealing - I'm sure you will have a great time with them

I got great results with a Bryston amp on my model 3's, and second the TNT 200's.

Find a pair of the Acoustat direct drive servo amps as used in earlier models such as the Acoustat X and Monitor III. If you do, contact me and I'll put you in touch with a couple of friends who are very familiar with the amps and ways to improve them.

I had a pair of 2+2s at one time and found the Bedini 25/25 to work pretty well.

Brian

As an owner of Acoustat 2+2s for over twenty years, I still find myself asking that question. But I pretty much go with solid state because I no longer have the patience with tube amps that I did in my youth. If you can find a lightly used Spectral DMA200 from the late 80s then this amp will be your last solid state amp for these speakers; along with the DMC 10 preamp this combo will give you a ruthlessly revealing experence that is remarkable. It will not be a soft fuzzy sound but something that is edgy but not too edgy or ingrating; a good solid enhancement of macro- as well as microdynamics over a tube amp. Plus much better bass drive. Definitely not a warm sound but definitely not a hard sound. Of course the Acoustats are very revealing of the source whether CD or analog. Good luck!!