Christobyl, perhaps you missed some of the thread but I did sell the 400XI and get the Conrad Johnson 2500a. I'm just sorry that I waited so long.
I did try some tube amps with the B&W Sigs and I did not think they worked well. I did not like the VTL and McIntosh amps with this speaker. I did not get to try some of the higher priced tube amps (>$5K)
I'm currently using a Manley tube preamp with Telefunken NOS tubes replacing the stock NOS tubes. Brendan at TubeWorld.com was a great help. It's a shame that more Agoners haven't tried the Manley preamp given it's price point and performance. Perhaps it's because Manley seems to focus on the Pro Audio market.
I feel that this preamp and amp combination yields more detail and resolution than the 400XI while having the soother, less harsh, high frequencies. I'm actually listening to music more with this new setup.
I did try some tube amps with the B&W Sigs and I did not think they worked well. I did not like the VTL and McIntosh amps with this speaker. I did not get to try some of the higher priced tube amps (>$5K)
I'm currently using a Manley tube preamp with Telefunken NOS tubes replacing the stock NOS tubes. Brendan at TubeWorld.com was a great help. It's a shame that more Agoners haven't tried the Manley preamp given it's price point and performance. Perhaps it's because Manley seems to focus on the Pro Audio market.
I feel that this preamp and amp combination yields more detail and resolution than the 400XI while having the soother, less harsh, high frequencies. I'm actually listening to music more with this new setup.