Amps for Vandersteen 3A Signature SS or Tube?

The Vandersteens are a good speaker and an excellent value. They are a bit veiled. I find solidstate brings out their best. The Belles would be an excellent choice.

How are speakers both "laid back and detailed"? I don't understand that description. 1, 2 a 3 Vandersteens are of a similar character. The 5 is a different class altogether. I still suggest solidstate to bring out the best the 3 has to offer but, if tubes are chosen, I would look for a modern design that is not as euphonic as most of the older amps tend to be.

Over the years I have owned 1B, 1C, 2CE, 2CE Sig, 3A and 3A Sig speakers. I've always thought they were some of the best bank for the buck speakers available. I still do. However, once you move up in class (and spend more money) they are easily bettered, in my opinion. Once I owned my first pair of
Audio Physic Virgo IIs I've never looked back at Vandersteen.
I've owned Avanti IIIs for the last three years and they are easily the finest speaker I've ever owned and one of the very best I've ever heard. They are more transparent than Vandersteen could ever hope to be. They do a disappearing act that is incredible. My point being that Vandersteens are very good but, when budget is available, there is much, much better available. By comparison, every Vandersteen system I've ever heard (with the exception of the 5s) sounds
veiled.

The Defy 7 is a great match and one of the best tube amps ever
made. Outstanding combination.