Reference 3A Grand Veena

Glad to see a few new posts to this thread. I have had my GV's over a year now and it has been a real struggle. Placement, room, amp, placement (again). Wow!I have them in a medium size room with a couch, three tables and 2 side chairs. They are not crowded but the room is not at all lively. There is carpeting and it has a high ceiling (12'). I read all of the reviews, talked to Tash, bought his speaker cables, moved them around, moved them again, moved them a 3rd time, toe in 19 degrees, toe in way more than 19 degrees, no toe in...UNTIL...I am almost there. Gosh don't you love this hobby? My associated equipment is ARC tubes. I am beginning to wonder if the amp is the problem. So you say, what problem? All you have talked about is your neurosis. The amp is the VS55. Now one of the earlier posters say he uses a 2 watt DecWare ZenSelect!!!! This is hard to believe because my entire point of this post (which I am coming to, honest) is how I can't get any life out of the GV's. I finally have placement ok (for now). I always have the feeling that the amp is having one heck of a time driving these things. Years ago, (80's) I had the same thing going in a perfect listening room. I replaced my tube ARC amp with that behemoth D300. End of problem. Headroom,spaciousness, sweet life. Gotta do something. Anyone in the market for a VS55?

Have driven my GVs with a Mac275,a Mesa Baron, and Bel Canto Ref1000s with great success.

Here's the amps I've auditioned with my Grand Veenas-

Mac 275,Pass Aleph3, AtmaSphere S30, Bell 2418 18 watt tube integrated from 1961,,Grant Lumley tube integrated,Art Audio Carissa,Red DragonnLeviathan signature mono blocks.

All these amps worked well on the speakers.

I chose the DecWare,because for me it had less of a sonic signature than the other amps did.

I have found in my room(21, x 11 x 8)that setting the speakers up on the diagonal works best.
I don't toe them in , and they are about 98 inches from my listening chair and the speakers have 52 inches between them at the moment.

Perhaps not ideal, but it works for me.

I also replaced the spikes with BDR cones,and my room has a mix of absorption panels and some live surfaces.

The Grand Veenas are no different than any other speaker that sounds good just about where ever you place it.
The difference is that they can sound much better than most speakers, when you take the time to place them correctly.
And they can be driven more than adequately with the 2 watt DecWare ZenSelect, the amp I chose over all the others that I tried.

There is no lack for anything with this combination of amp and speaker, in my room.

Lacee, thanks for taking the time on your post. A question or 10 if I may...? What is the approximate gain setting on your amp at "average" listening levels? My concern is when using the ARC the gain setting on the preamp reads 70/100 before it reaches a point where I consider it loud. I seldom listen at that level but any setting under 50 seems lifeless, less real. That is why i broached the subject of headroom. Do you think the tube approach best as often remarked upon? I really have a hard time grasping the fact that you are finding such success with these tiny amps. Not doubting you, just amazed I guess.

Yes, indeed a few years ago when I was using 1000 watts on the speakers I too would have had my doubts about what a single 2 watt amp could do.

I also read about the synergy og the Grand Veena with tubes, so that's why I set out to listen to as mant different kinds of tube amps, and one good class A solid state amp, just to shake things up a bit.

The DecWare came with a 30 day trial offer.

I was just looking for a tube amp for the winter months.

The DecWare met and surpassed all my expectations of the sound I was looking for.
There is a certain rightness in a SET design that I find pleasing to my ears.

Now as far as gain goes.

The amp has a volume control, but because I run the Steelhead using it's variable volume control knob, I run the amp at near max or unity gain.
The DecWare give you the choice to run with or without a pre amp, and sounds great either way.
Using the Steelhead to also control my cd player is a bonus.Two inputs compared to the DecWare's one at a time set up.
Just lazy, but I feel it's a pain in the but to wait for the wires to settle after they been unplugged.

Now the volume on the Steelhead is at 12 o'clock, or mid way.
The gain is at the lowest setting of 55.

In my room I don't need it any louder, and the sound level is the same as when I was using(or underusing) the 1000 watts of the draggons.

In other words the lack of wattage does not mean there is a lack of volume.
Or tone, or bass.

All I could say that is lacking is that I can't tell you what type of tube I am listening to.The el 84 derivatives, really don't have any tube sonic that I can put my finger at and say "that is the sound of a 300B".

The grand Veenas will let you know what tubes you are using to drive them with.
They do not make all amps sound the same.
But in the same breath they don't seem to be a finicky speaker that need mega watts of hot and nasty to make them sing.

To sum up, I liked the sound of the DecWare so much, I didn't send it back, it became my main all season amp.