ProAc Response 2 speakers and tube amps?

Cary and Audio Research are known good matches with all ProAcs, including the Response 2. With Cary amps, you get a 3-Dimensional and warm sound, while with ARC you get a more dynamic oriented sound. Personal taste of course. Dennis Had from Cary design used Proac speakers as his midrange reference, and Proac usually demonstrated with either ARC or Cary. So you figure these have got to be the best matches. For the Response 2, the Cary 300sei integrated would be a good choice if you like intimate, lifelike presentations. If you prefer bigger than life sound, then the ARC VT-50 or preferably the older Classic 60 would be good choices. Cable wise, no big deal, Proacs aren't that picky, although they do benefit from being bi-wired. We like Synergistic Research with Proacs quite a bit.

Since you've had your ProAc's for seven years, what are you using currently and why go tube? The mid & bass drivers are very carefully designed with a shallow voice coil and long pole magnet, they are "long-throw" units. The damping factors inherent in tube amplifier output stages will cause all the investment in the ProAc's to be wasted, as the back-emf from the excursion of the cones will overpower the transformer's ability to drive them; this will create high-order harmonic distortion, so what did you buy the ProAc's for?

Why go tube? Because it sounds better! Better guitars, pianos, horns, a more relaxed non shrill sound, way better midrange. Everyone out there who feels they are missing something in their system, mainly midrange, you only need to add some tubes. And to answer your question.... ARC matches very well with proacs.