ProAC 2.5 users please share experience on amp


Sorry I have to start a new thread again about right amplifer for the proAC response 2.5. I am searching a good match for it. Please share your experience on this. I am using Cary SLI-80 sig currently. Sound is beautiful but think there maybe lots of space for further improvment. Based on my researh here:

SS: Plinius 9200

TUBE:
Audio Research (VT100+ LS7)or VT50+ LS7
C-J premier 11a or 12

Pretube/SS Power:
Blue circle BC21/BC22(or BAT 200)

......
anymore input? I listen to classic and some jazz.
the budget is below ~$2500. room size: 16x13x9 . I prefer to tube sound~

Thanks in advance~`
smileshopper2000
Gjrad

Pass Lab alph 3 has only 30W/channel, you think it will drive 2.5 well? What type of music you mostly listen to?

As Gunbei said, the problem I experienced now is the difficluty to let proAC/cary present the complex music (like symphonie). I don't need kick bass, but just need a well balanced, positioned,layered sound which is some kind
of missing in my current combination.

Any suggestion?

Derick,

The Aleph 3 is great sounding amp. I borrowed one from Viggen a couple summers ago and really loved the way it did guitars. Better than any amp I've had in my system. The Aleph 3's soundstage was deeper than the other amps I tried, but I felt the width was constrained to the speakers. The BAT VK200 on the other hand threw a soundstage that easily extended outside the speakers.

It was really difficult for me to choose between the BAT and the Aleph, but what tipped the contest in favor of the VK200 was Aleph 3's low input impedance of 23Kohms. My Blue Circle BC21 had a hard time driving it, and when I wanted to crank it there wasn't enough juice.

Careful preamp matching is a must with this amp. It seems Gjrad's VTL works well with it. I've also read that many people like the solid state Aleph L or Aleph P with it. I know I've read other threads about tube preamps that matched well with it, but I can't remember them.
I just read speaker review at Speaker Asylum, (link: http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.pl?forum=speakers&n=67219&review=1)
The reviewer get almost same experience on the symphonie. "...but when things get cooking the violins get a little massed and lose some of the sweetness that makes them so beautiful in live performances. Also very difficult/impossible to get them to layer the orchestra properly..."~~

of course, I also got the same outstanding result with solo cell, which one of best i ever heard~~~.

Well, is this becasue of the "weakness" of equipment(JRDG Concentra Int Amp(SS) ) he used or it is ProAC 2.5's own weakness..?

I am wondering......... ANY comment~~??
Be careful with that Proac distributor in Baltimore. I was developing a great relationship with a local dealer in Northern California who happened to be a Proac dealer. I was NOT shopping for Proacs at this dealer, but, I did spend $7000 that year on audio gear and vinyl at this dealer. I thought maybe $7000 buys you a little good will, no? When I contacted the Proac distributor for a part for my 2.5's, he complained to my local dealer, who then got pissed that I had not purchased the Proacs from him. This did no one any good; that is, I no longer spend ANY money at this dealer and I certainly would not consider any more Proacs, because I don't want to risk having to deal with this distributor. The distributor damaged a good dealer-customer relationship and shot himself in the foot.
You might check out the Canary amps that are for sale, some new in box for, I think, $1,795.00 and one used for $1,350.00 but for some reason the ad says "300B tubes excluded"?!? Maybe not enough power, though.