SETs vs. Push/Pull

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.

There is a pair of used Accuphase amps for sale right now. They can operate in pure class A and make 30 watts at 8 ohms. In AB mode it puts out 130 @ 8. In bridged mode you get 110 watts at 8 ohms. Lovely amps.

Tom,
Several years ago I owned a Conrad Johnson 11-A tube amp and the Cary 2A3 monoblocks (5/watt per ch.), which I used with a variety of friendly set speakers. I would listen to one amp for a few weeks to a month and then switch to the other etc. In the long run, although both are good amps, I decided I liked the sound of the set (Cary 2A3) better and I still use them today. I'm not sure which P/P amp would work best for your ProAc 2.5 Response Speakers since it is evident that you want to keep them, but good luck in your quest and be sure to post your findings.