Thiel and tubes

To follow up Mcmiller's post FWIW, I had enjoyably fine if not outstanding results with an MV-55 driving my 2.2's, but the pairing worked much better in a smaller room.

Marakanetz: Your generalization about difficult impedance doesn't apply equally to all Thiel models. My own 2.2's, for example, have a quite flat curve centered around 4 ohms and little problematic reactance, so appropriate tube amps have worked very well. And the 1.6 is not a difficult load either. (John Atkinson's Stereophile test measurements show the impedance stays above 5 ohms throughout the bass, while above the bass it looks to average between 3.5 - 4 ohms with a mild phase angle and a flat curve shape, with a higher-than-spec estimated sensitivity of 94dB. The 6.5" lightweight aluminum woofer should also not be hard to control.)

Having said that, 10 watts is very low-powered for most speakers in most rooms, and although I don't know anything about the specific amps mentioned, I think that even in a moderately sized room at least 40 watts would be better to have, and would recommend double that if possible (or as a minimum for a larger room). But tubes as a catagory are not at all out of the question with these speakers, and I know that from having listened to the combination at nominal output powers of 45 and 80 tube watts in what was really a too-large-for-the-speakers room.

Trelja: That impresses me, because I know you're a hawk about loose or one-note reflex bass, and the 3.6 *is* kind of difficult in the bass, and not known as much for successful pairings with tubes. Equal credit must go to the Rogue I'm sure...

Well, the Zeus, which I understand is Rogue's aussalt on the possible within limits, does seem to be cut from a somewhat different cloth design-wise than their longer-running products, but I've got no Rogue listening experience myself. My problem with the Zeus concept is that I take exception to 200lb. stereo amps, generally thinking that they should really have been made as monoblocks instead; though there probably is some cost savings in the single-chassis design, to my mind that isn't the priority with such a piece. The massive configuration alone rules out any prospective interest for me in what otherwise might be a very worthy amp.