60 watt Rogue Tubes for Vandersteen 3A Signatures

Agreed! It's been my experience that the old audiophile axiom that one should double the recommended minimum power, holds true much more often than not.

My rule is an inch is an inch, and a Watt is a Watt.

Considering the speakers under consideration, one might argue the opposite is true.

The specs seem to differ a bit from the measurements:

http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/128/index6.html

Perhaps into higher impedance loads most tube amps might seem more powerful, into lower impedance loads ss might seem more powerful. According to Stereophile's measurements of the speaker in question, the impedance drops to 2.8 Ohms and the sensitivity was measured at 85 dB/W/M. That drop happens in the bass region, where a bigger cone needs to be moved. Perhaps with speakers like some 'stats the argument might be reversed.

I should say that I have heard the bigger Vandersteen's being run with Audio Research tube amps, and they sounded absolutely sublime.

Tvad, yes they were.