How many tube watts for Vandersteen 2's?

Believe it or not, the best I've heard Vandersteen 2s (and I've heard them a lot) was with a 35 watt Music Reference RM10 at John Rutan's Audio Connection, when he and I were hanging out with one of his salesmen one afternoon several years ago.

That was simply one of those few and fleeting magical moments we all experience in audiophilia. Nothing was lacking. Even the low end, which was incredibly fast (normally, one the Vandersteen's real weak points), and possessed true snap. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, I close my eyes and can hear it all over again - Dick Dale's surf guitar has never sounded finer to me.

Also heard the speakers with a pair of Quicksilver monos when I was last there in November, and though good, didn't come anywhere close to the aforementioned experience.

Banquo363, a 20' X 35' requires something serious to pressurize the room the way some require. You did use the word, moderate, so I would say it comes down to how much of a headbanger you are.

I agree with Paul's comments regarding the RM10, and he and Rnadell on Music Reference amps in general. If you can buy an RM10 for $1550, in my opinion, that has to be one of THE flat out biggest bargains in high-end audio.

In my experience, there's far more to how a loudspeaker and amp couple than just watts. People will throw a lot of other numbers and specifications out there, but I'd say oftentimes need to give the match a try, as some surprising things can happen. I would have honestly scoffed at someone suggesting I listen to a physically diminutive 35 wpc EL84 based tube amplifier with the Vandersteen 2s before hearing what I previously described. Shows you how much I know...