Tubes with Thiel CS-3.6's? has anyone had success?

I had Thiel 3.6 speakers that worked really well with an Audio Research VT-100. you may want to consider the ARC integrated although more than 50 watts really would be best.

In my opinion, you are not going to get the most out of your speakers trying to use the amps you list. They just cannot supply the current and control these speakers need. If you want to go tubes, IMO you'll need to stay with more powerful models that use larger power supplies and output transformers, and with at least four or more higher-power variety output tubes per channel (probably twice that if using lower-power variety output tubes). To me, this pretty much rules out tubed integrateds, and I think these results will obtain even when listening at low-to-moderate volumes. I say this as a CS2.2 owner who has tried both moderate- and higher-powered tubed power amps (C-J MV-55, VTL MB-185 Sigs.) - and those Thiels aren't even as demanding (impedance-wise and in woofer size, though their sensitivity is similarly moderate) as yours, and my room where I used the smaller amp was also much smaller than yours. Even my newer, larger room, in which I was really forced to move to the higher-powered amps, is not as large as yours is. Also, keep in mind that your speakers are very revealing of amplifier quality, not just quantity, and the lower-priced models you mention will not be shown to their best advantage by speakers which really want top-notch amplification, not just plenty of it.

I use a pair of Wright-Sound WPA3.5 (2A3) amps with my 3.6's. No problem filling up my room, and no problem at all with the sound quality. I listen mainly to classical (string quartets, small scale orchestral, and jazz).

But - I have a CAT preamp (high gain) which does make a difference over conventional gain preamps. My room is about the same size as yours, has carpeted floors and drapes. So a 50 watt amp shouldn't be a problem.

Hey, anything will produce a sound, but I don't expect that sound would be for me. You're honestly the first person I've heard of running these speakers with a low-powered SET - what else have you used? (Unless you're having us on, that is... ;^)

TT's with big speakers of low efficiency, unless you listen at ambient levels in the 80db range, and noise ambient in a quiet house is at 70db's. Hmm, I don't think thats a good match. Remember headroom will consume at least 10 times the nominal power so with a SET you limited to listening at about 0.5 watts nominal and 5 watts for the peaks. Which means on a low efficiency speaker about 78-83 db nominal.

Current output for the bass simply cannot be there.

I recommend a lager toob amp. The VTL 100 compacts can be found for well under a G but plan on another 200$ to upgrade the toobs, and 300 if you want to upgrade the caps on the output stage, if you can do it yourself.

In anycase when you try it, don't give up the SS amp until your convinced that you've made the right move.

jeff