Hello Bavarian05, I started out with a McIntosh MC452 and found it was way too much of a good thing with the Evos. Sweet, but slow and somewhat muddy, to my taste. I moved on to the ARC REF150 and, to me, it was a great match, except for the heat it generated in my small room. Ideally, I would have had two amps, the ARC and maybe my current Ayre solid state. I think the Evos do need waking up to achieve their fullest possible beauty. The Hegel that everyone is talking about could be a great match also, if you could swing it. I think it would make the Evos sing. I know Joe is going to pair one with his Strads.