If you really want to max out the Quad performance set up is critical. The good news (but maybe not for you)is that their radiation pattern allows for placement close to the side walls. The bad news, their radiation patern (rear wave) requires that they be set up about 5ft from the wall behind them (I set mine at 4.5ft due to a bass reinforcement issue). This distance is necesary to seperate the direct sound from the reflected sound sufficently to be heard seperately, not a just a congested direct signal.
You need to put something behind them to dispurse/diffuse the back wave. You can put them closer to the wall behind them, but frankly I wouldn't waste my money for their resolution qualities and then compromise their best feature by doing so.
Very few speakers sound good in a square room. Quads included. The bass can become very boomy. BTW, re bass, set these on the floor and they have excellent, flat, bass down into the 30's. Lift them up off the floor and you may enhance their imaging qualities BUT you will also get a suck out in the upper bass which will make them sound thin, which is why I think a lot of folks think of using subs. I've not been successful in setting up any speakers in my retangular room using the long wall. I have enhanced the upper ranges' clarity but the upper bass/lower mids suffered and the overall sound became enemic. But that was my room. I think the long wall lovers (speakers, not people) are ones which have very strong off axis response and do not respond well to close side wall placement.
Quads can be listened to in the nearfield, like monitors, which is probably the type of set up you will end up with in a 13' square room but they sound best in a medium sized room with the sweet spot/listening chair slightly further from the speakers than they are apart and both well out into the room. If I were going to compromise I'd back the chair closer to the wall behind it. I wouldn't compromise on the distance to the wall behind the speaker.
You can get by with 40 tube watts. Just don't push the sound levels. Quad's can sound a bit dry/cool with the wrong electronics. Tubes a bit on the warm side can be a good thing. I've not heard any of the amps you have mentioned.
FWIW Quad set up has been discussed often in A'Gon. You will probably get a lot of benefit from doing some looking in the archives.
You need to put something behind them to dispurse/diffuse the back wave. You can put them closer to the wall behind them, but frankly I wouldn't waste my money for their resolution qualities and then compromise their best feature by doing so.
Very few speakers sound good in a square room. Quads included. The bass can become very boomy. BTW, re bass, set these on the floor and they have excellent, flat, bass down into the 30's. Lift them up off the floor and you may enhance their imaging qualities BUT you will also get a suck out in the upper bass which will make them sound thin, which is why I think a lot of folks think of using subs. I've not been successful in setting up any speakers in my retangular room using the long wall. I have enhanced the upper ranges' clarity but the upper bass/lower mids suffered and the overall sound became enemic. But that was my room. I think the long wall lovers (speakers, not people) are ones which have very strong off axis response and do not respond well to close side wall placement.
Quads can be listened to in the nearfield, like monitors, which is probably the type of set up you will end up with in a 13' square room but they sound best in a medium sized room with the sweet spot/listening chair slightly further from the speakers than they are apart and both well out into the room. If I were going to compromise I'd back the chair closer to the wall behind it. I wouldn't compromise on the distance to the wall behind the speaker.
You can get by with 40 tube watts. Just don't push the sound levels. Quad's can sound a bit dry/cool with the wrong electronics. Tubes a bit on the warm side can be a good thing. I've not heard any of the amps you have mentioned.
FWIW Quad set up has been discussed often in A'Gon. You will probably get a lot of benefit from doing some looking in the archives.