Mid-fi tube vs high-end SS

@mm1tt77 Currently I’ve got a Zesto Leto pre feeding a Krell Duo XD - combo would be well above your budget so not suggesting this path, wanted to give a sense of my personal tastes when it comes to house sound signature.

Exactly, this is the gap not usually covered when dealing with the desire of the OP all that well. While many of us can recommend a really good SS amp option, often times well outside of the budget of the requester. And, not wanting to spend $10-15k on a worthy SS class-A or amp myself. For literally HALF the money $, some good mono tube amps out there, with true three dimensional sound, scape, tone, totally engaging sound with mainstream tubes offered today.

The OP mentioned the AVA DVA M225s, Schiit Tyr, looking at the $3k range is a small pool of amps to jump up and down about. I’m intentionally excluding the Benchmark having been there with their quiet-spec gear, and feel it takes a little more $ to buy something truly engaging as a keeper musical amp(s). With the right tube preamp, maybe the Tyr mono amps, might generate some interest, but I’d still likely take a good used Coda if I had to go back to SS. If the OP could bring the budget up a little, there are amps out there to make those BMR speakers sing more. Recap, the OP stated the BMR speakers sounded "neutral". To me that statement can also mean "lacking body" to some. Get the right amp and they won't be overly neutral or lacking body.  Those are nice speakers when paired with the right amp(s).   There are better amps to be had out there for a modest increase in budget. I consider amps core to my system. OP, good-used might be another option too.  

I like your amp, would not consider it mid-fi, a very nice mid-powered tube amp, which I suspect sounds very nice. A bit more power than my Cayin A88T using KT88s 45wpc.

now, your BEAUTIFUL speakers, sensitivity 86 db is NOT easy to drive from a watts/sensitivity perspective, I think the designer is meaning, it's mostly constant 6 ohm impedance curve is not hard to drive.

Probably so, but I would want more power reserves for any speaker with low 86 db sensitivity, for instantaneous peaks, or bi-amp them.

IOW, unlike some KEFs, etc which are difficult to drive, with very low dips of impedance, yours's are consistently near 6 ohm, easy only by comparison to difficult speakers to drive..

So, I would consider the speaker, not the amp.

1st, I would try stuffing up the port. 

It is a transmission design, seems a nasty thing to go against it's method of achievement, however, perhaps it's bass ability is masking it's mids.

a. partially with soft diffuse material, across the face of the port

b. fully with some dense foam

Perhaps with some bass cut, the mids will be very nice.

2. move on to other speakers, higher sensitivity, and one not trying for too much bass which I think can be a mistake people make when reading numbers.

Thank you everyone.

@mm1tt77 I’ve seriously considered the Coda 8 (whichever the new version is) at used price. One of the well hidden gem, lesser known in America. With the very limited information about the Tyr as of now, The Tyrs are on the level of the Coda, that is very high praise. There’s gonna be a stereophile review of the Tyrs in January for what it’s worth.

@decooney The DVA M225 is 3.4k, The Tyr silvers are very close to 3.9k after tax and shipping which I’m not super thrilled about. I’d love any suggestions even near the 4.5k price range.

@elliottbnewcombjr Yea you’re right. I love this freaking tube amp. Mid-fi in price but not in nature. It has given me many beautiful late night listening, Borderline unforgettable. I’ve tried eq’ing down the bass and the problematic 200-400 hz range in youtube. Long story short there’s a massive difference between music on youtube and lossless. Youtube has this muddiness in the said hz range and lowering the EQ on those brought up the clarity substantially. Funnily enough, running lossless on amaon HD with no EQ, the background is extremely black and a calmness to the music I could never get from youtube. This is a rare review of our two amps.

The Coda 16 is on another level.  If you are looking at the Coda 8 - put Krell in the mix, I found the 300xd outperformed the Coda, was a step up.  To be fair, haven’t heard the 16 but from what I have read, it’s an End Game, magical amp.  There has been a 15.5 on US Audio Mart for quite awhile upgraded to the 16.  That could be a great option at a great price.  Seller lists it as the “Gordie Howe” of amps.  
 

FWIW, John Atkinson gave a very favorable review of the Tyr in the latest S-phile issue, favorably comparing it with the Benchmark and even his Parasound Halo JC-1+.