Best power amp for Avalon Opus Ceramique

I am sorry that I cannot answer your specific question regarding the Opus Ceramiques. I do want to say, however, that I have found the Jeff Rowland 302 amplifier to be far superior to previous Rowland amps I have heard, and that I find it to be very natural and involving. Not a surprise to me that someone else might find the opposite to be true, though, given the many variables we all deal with in evaluating any given component. Just MHO (of course).

Mikefi: your thoughts about Active Audio are absolutely right. They combine the brands (Ayre, Hovland, Pass, Transparent and Avalon) in their show-room set-ups. The sound in most cases is very good -although the very expensive (to expensive for me) combo Boulder 1010 + Boulder 1050 + TaraLabs Omega / Zero + Esoteric X0-1 Ltd. is far superior.
Nevertheless I once had a Pass X 2.5 pre and replaced it with an Ayre K-5xe which I found to be superior to the X 2.5.
I do not know the X 150.5 only the X 350.5 and find it a mighty fine product (its on my short-list) if I don´t decide to keep my excellent Ayre V-1xe. I believe Pass power amps are much better than their pre´s.
The Rowland 302 mentionned by Jfz is a mighty fine product but in Germany rediciously expensive - around US $ 25.000,00.

Frankpiet:
If you own an Ayre V-1xe which I think is one of the best amps on the planet, you should concider K-1x and D-1x, with or without "e". The K-1x is a very neutral preamp smartly built and forever lasting and the D-1x is the cleanest player I'm aware of, far better then any Wadia. To me Wadia is a bit colorating and lacks some drive.
The only minor thing (which I actually like) of the V-1x is it's slightly emphasis on the base, so you have to match this with a leaner speaker (if you have the same experience and taste of course).
For cabling I like NBS most because it is neither dark nor bright. So it tells you what is wrong in the chain. Very useful as an audiophile if you want to improve your system.

This might be interesting.

hi>fi+ issue 45 pg. 126-128. www.notrhstarconsult.nl

I'm very happy with my V-1xe powering Eidolons but then I haven't been very far around the block. I'm slowly getting my room/speaker position dialed in. I'm learning that this is much more fruitful than the gear...well were the Avalons are concerned.

The synergy between Avalon and Spectral is old news and frankly hearing one of these systems properly setup in an adequate space is a marvelous learning experience.

Have Fun

Vicdamone:
I fully agree that positioning the eidolons (which I own as well) is most important. I also have good results with decoupling the speakers and electronics with Stillpoints. To me these devices act along the entire frequency range. They make the sound better flow without colorations.