Best amp s for Quad 988 please?

McIntosh solid state
McIntosh or VTL tubes

Thanks so much for the suggestions.

I'm also thinking of an integrated tube amp too - EAR etc...

I second the EL34 recommendation. I have a Cary V12R with my 988s that really mske the music palpable/holographic. I have never felt the need to crank the volume on my preamp past the 10:00 to 11:00 position. I also tried a Dynaco ST-70 that worked well too, though the bass was a bit mushier. My room size is 15x13. YMMV.

Ed,

I have tried ARC VT100ii's, Bruce Moore Stereo 70, Berning ZH270's, Cary SLM-100's, Quicksilver Triodes, EAR 509ii's, Odyssee Stratos Dual Mono, and Cary SLM-70 monoblocks modified to function in triode mode and with Jensen oil filled capacitors. My favorite is the latter, as it has the greatest delicacy, resolution, and yet liquidity with vocals. There are a variety of tubes represented here (6550's, KT88's, 6SN7's??, 6C33C's, PL509's, Solid State, and again EL34's - in that order). I happen to prefer the EL34's with Quads, and the modified Cary's do it well. I am now experimenting with crossing over at 100 hz and feeding the low pass to subs. Anyhow, another recommendation for an EL34 amplifier that should work great with the 988's is the new Wolcott dual mono version of its amp. I heard it with Maggie 3.6's at CES and it sounded very good. It is great with widely varying impedence speakers like the Quad.

By the way, the Stratos sounds pretty darn good, and I've heard that the Plinius PL-102 also sounds good. I believe that.