I wanted these speakers since they came out. Unfortunately, as a university student at the time, I could not afford to buy them. A few years later I bought a fine pair and connected them with an ML 32 preamp with phono and 2 Classe Omega Stereo (class A) amplifiers. My room size was about 700 sqf and 15 ft ceilings. I kept them for 10 years in my main system. A few notes from my experience:
1. Could sound a bit dry at times. However, this is function of multiple controllable parameters. Certainly best with excellent recordings.
2. Can it rock? It does well with ballads and softer rock, Its strong point is large classical works, jazz, world music and blues. It can play loud with caution.
3. Placement is very tricky. It took me long time to get the proper soundstage and timbres. Once done, lots of space between the instruments, depth and natural sound. The speakers totally disappear, even though they are massive. A large room is mandatory.
4. The foam around the bass units disintegrates over time. You should ensure the condition is good when you buy them. If replaced, it will take long time to break in again. In my case, they took over 6-7 months.
5. The sound improved a lot with a tube preamp. The CAT and Symphonic Line preamps were the best match I tried with the Classe amps (early 2000s).
6. The floor has to be solid. Otherwise, the sound will have significant deterioration. Some careful room treatment may be required. Need to try as you go for best results.
Overall, it is a great speaker system but its associated equipment must be truly high end to get the most out of them. Great dynamics and bass. Very difficult to get this level of performance today without spending $50K+ for a new pair of speakers.
Good luck. Enjoy them in good health. A rare find.