SETs vs. Push/Pull

I tend to agree with Edle. I think you need to keep the amp / passive preamp (etc) and consider different speakers.

Damn...I love these speakers. Any suggestions for something that won't create headaches or screech (like horns and many single driver jobs) or sound diffuse and thin (like the Cain & Cain Abbey and some Coincident Techs I've heard)? Or maybe I've just not heard them under good conditions. Any help would be appreciated!!

Tomryan,
IMHO, speaker is the voice of the entire audio system. Its characteristic contributes more to the final result than from an amp. It will be very difficult to find another speaker that matches well with the Air Tight and sound similar to the Proac. So if you love the Proac, I think you should keep it and try to find a different amp unless you are tire of it and want to try something different.

Go find an Audio Note dealer with a pair of Audio Note E type speakers set up. They are simply wonderful, do not require a sub, and will work very well with only 8 watts of quality 300b power. They start at about 3000/pr and go up to the 20k region for the top of the line with external crossover (and 98db efficient). The Audio Note speakers (type K, J, and E) are designed to mate with SET tube amplifiers and the impedance varies between 6 and 8 ohms which is about as perfect as you can get for a SET amplifier.

The Audio Note AN E/SPe (or SPx) models are probably the best value in that you get much of the performance of the top of the line (20k) for much less money. Last time I checked there was a pair for sale on Audiogon around 2500.

You really should have a listen to these speakers. I moved my Spendor 2/3 speakers out of service and put a pair of AN J/L (entry model of the J type) speakers into use and never looked back. They work well with higher powered solid state amps, too.

They can also be placed against the walls for more bass or in the more traditional position away from reflecting surfaces (which I prefer as more neutral sounding).

With these speakers you are not limited to any amplifiers with one exception: cheap amps. These very efficient speakers will reproduce any noise from your amp and will also reveal any weaknesses in your system.

I've been curious about Audio Note speakers for some time but never had the opportunity to audition. I'll keep an eye/ear out for them. In meantime, think I'll look for a relatively inexpensive P/P tube amp to roll with. Or, if i could find a 6-7 yr old 25wt Accuphase (don't remember the model number but it was current in their line at that time)for a real good price I'd probably go for it.