If it's not too late to chime in, I am running a second system using 2-ce's ($300)and an adcom gfa-555 ($300), I think hard to beat for the money, though the real star is the welborne labs cato tube preamp which brings warm sound and great depth out of an inexpensive but relatively powerful SS amp.I run a Cullen stage four USB DAC and laptop loaded with flac files.
Tube amps may sound better with the vandies but for a budget system look for a decent tube preamp and some SS power.
Tube amps may sound better with the vandies but for a budget system look for a decent tube preamp and some SS power.