Speakers that are good with tubes

@pinotnoir , greetings. I too have Soundlab speakers and have been waiting patiently for my pair of Atma-Sphere MA 2s for 6 months. We have a very special situation. Our speakers range from 30 ohms in the bass to less than 1 ohm at 20 kHz. The Atma-Spere amps put out the same power regardless of impedance, perfect for the Soundlabs. Most solid state amps are on their knees at 30 ohms. It takes a real SS bruiser to drive this load well, think 300 watts and up. These amps can really not be compared to "normal" tube amplifiers. 

An amplifier is not supposed to have a "sound." In my experience the very best tube amplifiers and the very best SS amplifiers produce very similar performance with the appropriate load. Given that the speaker/room is the weakest link in just about all systems you choose the speaker that matches your room and your wife best then buy an amp that drives that particular load well. Buying speakers to match your amp is folly. 

Give the Golden Ear Triton 1r a listen. They are 92 db sensitivity, relatively benign impedance curve, and each contain a 1600w amp to handle the bass which makes driving them with tubes very easy. I drive mine with a pair of 50w Cary monoblocks and couldn't be happier. 

J.Chip

I drive my Wilson Maxx 2 with tubes because I prefer the sound to using a very good solid state amp.  Tube amps tend to be lower output power so you need speakers with fairly high sensitivity.

Electrostatic speakers are wonderful if you like them, I have heard dozens driven with every type of amplification.  Sorry I've not heard one I liked. It's purely personal I know however, as more than one HI fi expert and reviewer has observed, "choose which type of fake you like", nothing in your lounge room sounds like the real thing, good even great, particularly to you but still fake.

Any model by the long defunct Equation brand. Have some Equation 7 and honestly play better than MANY of the Harbeth, Spendor & Rogers speakers I've been used to. If you come across a set, buy'em.