Your choice for SET amp?

Hey, thanks Boa2!! Now I see why Delancey is asking the question. Hummmm half price...used is nice! I shall go do some research.

The Duo's can be had for $9-10K used, generally. The Uno's for maybe $7500-8000, rough numbers obviously. Shall we wish you good luck in your hunt, or did you end up with the DB-99? And what amp did you end up pairing with those VS's?
Regards,
Howard

Thanks all for the info. Jeffreybehr, I should have made the question more clear....

Boa2 I agree with you, I have heard the Duos at length in NYC at the Avantgarde showroom (great place)...they at times have sounded incredible and at times not so good. When they sound bad, it is usually due to edge or too much hardness in the upper mid and above.

Because I have heard them sound so good also, I can only guess it is due to setup and equipment. I think my equipment is good enough...I don't know about my room, but probably worth the risk. I do have the ability to move them wherever I need to....The Db99's are safe, but the potential of the Duo's is much higher.....

No question, Delancey, you have excellent ancillary gear to compliment the Duo's. I heard the AG's with the Audiopax amps, and I happen to prefer the 6C33C tube of your Lamm's more than I do the KT88, particularly for the types of music that are accentuated by the virtues of the AG's. I've no experience with the Lamm/AG combination, but I would venture a guess that such a set up, along with your EMM Labs front end, could start a small pilgrimage from these boards to your home. Please post your impressions, whichever direction you end up going.
Regards,
Howard

I am not familiar with the VS speakers, but I have listened to the AG Duos fairly extensively. I like the sound of the AGs. The AG's have a direct and lively sound that I prefer in speakers. I am surprised at how many much more expensive speakers sound so lifeless and constipated, by comparison.

The AG's, like all speakers, are far from perfect so you must give them a careful audition and you MUST have some kind of dealer or other expert help (perhaps yourself?) in set up. They are quite sensitive to location, and in each location you must experiment with bass balance and phase, etc.

Even in an ideal location, the bass and upper-midrange may not be integrated perfectly. Also, the system I heard had some sharp peaks in the upper-bass/low-midrange that made some notes at the peak seem to suddenly jump out. Just mentioning this as something to look for to determine how much that bothers you. Considering how peaky most horn systems sound, the AG's are remarkably free of such problems.

I heard the horns driven by SET and low-powered pushpull triodes with much less power than the Lamm that you have, so power should not be a big issue.