looking for best speakers to match with small 25w

"25 watt tube amplifier" and "tight/fast bottom end" are generally mutually exclusive.

I love tube amps (and use tube monoblocks in my main system), but aside from the megabuck ones, the bottom end most tube amps produce, regardless of the speaker, will be neither tight nor fast, especially if they put out only 25 watts (at least not compared to a decent solid-state amp).

MM de Capo i by REFERENCE 3A are really nice speakers and will do the trick. If my amp was smaller, I would probably own them.

You could also check out some JM Lab Micro Utopias BE. Not a bad way to spend $4k.

KiD

it depends on the amp. as a generalization, a 25wpc tube amp will probably be a good fit with a rather 'forward' horn or one of the above mentioned speakers. the more mellow/laidback stuff tends to love ss and big watts

Check this review here on Audiogon:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?rspkr&1116803821&read&keyw&zztriangle
Triangle Volante, 93 db sensitivity, fast, tight bottom end, great resolution. A little beyond your price tag when new, but might just be your ticket if you can find them used.

Green Mountain Audio Callisto fits your question perfectly. I have driven them with an AES Superamp with 15 watts and now drive them with a Cary Rocket 88R with 30 watts in triode. The Rocket is 10 times the amp in sound quality and speed, but the Callisto sings with both. First order crossover with 90-91 db effeciency and the most satifying speaker I have owned in 30 years. See the 6 moons review:

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/gma2/callisto.html