Tube Amps with Vandersteen 2Ci's ???

I have heard both good solid state and good tube electronics on Vandersteen 2C's. The solid state was Threshold SA-1 100 watt mono amps pure class A with an ARC SP-11 Pre-amp. The tube set-up with the Vandy's was ARC M-100 mono amps driven by SP-8 pre-amp. Don't let anyone fool you, that with ANY speaker system IT IS THE ELECTRONICS that will bring out the best of what the speaker offers. The audition of the 2 systems above compelled me to by the Vandersteen 2C's but I must say that since my electronics at the time didn't measure up to the above given I subsequently didn't get as good sound out of them. I love ARC with the Vandersteen. I haven't heard anything sound better, then again I don't think there is anything better than ARC electronics only as good as. Buy a good used ARC tube amp and forget about it. If you are going with solid state don't go on the cheap.

Osideffs Don't worry about the bottom end with an ARC just make sure you have enough power a Classic 60 or better yet if you can afford it the VT-100 will provide more than enough bass definition if not the pure slam of a good solid state amp. You will lose the presence and that brassy quality in the mids if you go solid state. However there are many that prefer that crisp definition that solid state provides even though the presence is more laid back and in my opinion ultimately unsatisfying. It is a question of taste and since you have a tube pre-amp I suspect a tube amp would work quite well.