Best Tube Amp For Sonus Faber? Or Pass XA-100.5? $6-7,500 Budget, Purchasing Used.

Would not go with the VAC Phi 300.1.   Definitely go with the updated VAC Signature 200 IQ with continuous auto bias.  100+ watts and has all the bass and tightness of solid state and the midrange is fantastic.    Retails for $14k but there is a like new one listed on US Audiomart.  With the auto bias of the 200 IQ, you can plug in any KT88, KT120 or KT150 and change out the 6sn7 driver tubes if you want to tailor the sound.  It is so user friendly and the stock tubes are wonderful though.  Have owned both the Sonus Faber Olympica III and the Elipsa SE.  The VAC controls the bass of the olympica which can often sound a little bloated if not having a high quality amp.   If I were to go tube amp for SF, would go with the VAC 200 IQ.    Plus Kevin Hayes of VAC offers the best service around.  You are kind of limited with other tube amps (ARC, CJ, Zesto, etc) as the VAC is really user friendly.  

Here is the link to the VAC 200 IQ:  http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649357991-vac-signature-200-with-vac-iq-system-power-amplifier/

Here is a forum from a dealer on the amp as well:  

http://www.audioshark.org/vac-85/vac-signature-iq200-9738.html

Keep us posted!

I would go with the Pass, as the  Olympica III in the power region is around 2ohms at 100hz, a tube amp would be a gamble.
https://ibb.co/hoYNyF

Cheers George
 

Nightfall,

I've recently heard a system that had Olympica 2's paired with a pass xp-10 preamp and the xa100.5 mono's, I know you have the 3's but this was a very nice combo.
Plenty of pwr with a very nice engaging midrange and too end with excellent control and no bloat whatsoever on the bottom end.

The owner is a friend in our local audio club and he was a longtime tube guy for many years and he is totally satisfied with the sound,other than upgrading to the 3's someday.

The Olympica's are not a easy load for a Amp I personally would stay away from tubes,just my opinion.

The pass gear would be easier to sale just in case you needed to sale it,just a thought.

Kenny.

I tend to agree with George, I'm not sure that a tube amp would work well with the Sonus Faber Olympica III's, they are not an easy load.

Any VAC amp that can put out 100 wpc and use KT-150 tubes though MAY be able to do it.

I was actually using a VAC 160iSE integrated amp before the XA-100.5 mono-blocks, and my speakers have similar specs (90 dB, 5 ohm versus your 90 dB, 4 ohm).

Switching to the XA-100.5 amps, the sound-stage opened up immensely. Not really surprising going from a tube stereo amp to SS mono-block amps.
Mating the Pass amps with an ARC Ref 5 preamp, the resolution of the highs and lows also became more extended and defined.

The only place I would give the edge to the VAC was in the midrange.
Though the Pass are quite warm and musical, the VAC had that touch of *magic* in the midrange, that fuzz on the peach quality, that only a tube amp can do.

The XA-100.5's do get quite warm after a couple of hours, but I wouldn't say they turned the listening room into a sauna. They aren't close to the hottest amp I've ever owned (BAT VK-75SE). However, they are quite a  bit warmer than the Jeff Rowland Model 6 mono's.

Another amp to consider, since you want tubes, but don't really have tube friendly speakers, is an Aesthetix Atlas.
A hybrid amp with 400 wpc into your 4 ohm load, but with a pair of 6SN7 tubes in the driver stage.
Just a thought.