Atma,
I used to use the Cary 300B monos with the original VSM SE in a loft (2 parallel walls & 2 open sides terminated only by railings) that was app. 20' across and app. 12' from open railing (speakers) to open railing (listener). SPL capability was completely adequate for my needs and dynamics were just damn stunning.
I also used these speakers with an early production S-30. The combo worked well, but I preferred the 300B by a fair margin. The speakers sounded warmer with the Cary monos and -For My Taste- that delta easily trumped whatever benefits accrued to the S-30. I'm not suggesting that everyone would share my preference.
BTW, I auditioned the speakers with the S-30 and bought both speakers & amp, so you know that I really liked the combo a lot. It's just that, on direct comparison in my home, I preferred the Cary amps for these speakers. I also understand that later runs of the S-30 were pretty different sounding, so my opinion must also be qualified by that fact.
Marty
PS The speakers have since been modified to current spec by Merlin and now seem happier with more power. My space has also changed, so an "apples to apples" comparison isn't possible, but the modified VSMs sound warmer than pre-mod. Therefore, they don't benefit as much from the Cary's tonal signature and I've generally paired 'em with PP amps from Prima Luna using either KT66s or EL34s. In fact, I sometimes pair them with SS amps. At some point, I'll probably revisit your OTLs again since I find playing with these combos endlessly fascinating.
