Help: Searching for Vandersteen-like speakers...

If you like the tube sound, especially what you have heard from single ended stuff, I doubt you will find a better combo than the Quicksilvers and Vandersteens. It won't have tight bass. It will have a midrange that you will probably like very much.

They may not be the answer, but they might be closer to what you are looking for: Meadowlark.

You might try the Vandersteen's with a Pass Aleph series amplifier. I use a 100 watt Pass Aleph 4 with my Vandersteen 3A Signatures. Maybe not exactly a tube sound, but you do get a very smooth, neutral sound with a clear, sweet, airy midrange, great soundstage and superb high frequency detail. The midrange is not fat and tubey, but it IS neutral and sweet. There is no harshness, hardness, solid state signature or grain to be heard. You also get an absolutely full-range frequency response which no tube amp and very few solid state amps can equal or surpass. Now the Alephs are not the last word in bass slam or dynamics as far as solid state amps go, but they will certainly go way beyond what a tube amp can do. With careful matching of cables and other components and with their great bass and treble extension, I don't see how you could ask for much more from an amp, tube or solid state. I use a CAT Ultimate preamp and Theta Gen Va DAC with the previously mentioned equipment and am very happy. I suggest you consider an Aleph 5 for your 2CE's. The Alephs all utilize a single-ended design and most only have two gain stages, thus somewhat emulating the minimalist design of the SET's without the hassle of tubes.

I use a CJ PV 10AL & DNA-1 with my 2ce's. I absloutely love the sound of the combo, the pre adds a nice "warm" sound & the DNA has plenty of "oomph". I really don't think this combo can be beat in the lower dollar ranges. I've tried a pair of Kestral HR's & while they are "similar" to the 2's they are not the same, close but definately no cigar. I'd stick with your current speakers & look into a tube pre with a nice ss amp, good luck.

Forget the toy 3 watt amp and get the ARC VT 100 and the 2Ce's, unless you have a LOT MORE money to spend on something like Silverline speakers with mid 90db sensitivity ratings. The VT is a perfect match for the 2's.