Tube amp for Avalon Eidolon ?


I have no experience with tubes, and want to give them a try on my Avalon Eidolon (not diamonds) speakers (87 dB sensitivity, 4 ohm nominal, 3.6 ohm minimum). I'm using dCS Elgar + Purcel front end and currently not using a pre-amp, cardas neutral reference cables. I listen mostly to jazz, some classical, some rock.

Looking for suggestions on tube amp(s), preferably with balanced inputs, but not mandatory. I'm willing to spend some money, up to say $15k, and will probably try to buy used.

Thoughts and recommendations appreciated. Thanks. John.
johnax
My experince with the Avalon/Atma-Sphere; or CAT; or Joule has been quite magical. These tubed amps have proven to have ample power in the systems I have heard them. I agree some tube applications may be maxed out with a speaker such as the Eidelon, but these refered to higher powered amps have extremely musical presentations with exemplary extension...competing with some fine solid state products in their realm of respectability.
I have Eidolons and am using Convergent Audio Technology electronics. The sound is incredible. I have not heard a better sound from any dealer that I have been to on the west coast. I am using the new JL-2 Mk2 Signature (about 17K retail). This new amp contains the new type of capacitors called "black caps" which are supposed to be expensive. I had a JL-2 that was great but this new one is fantastik! I have also heard the Eidolons with Spectral electronics and they sounded very good also. I drive a 7 year old pickup because I can only afford my addiction to 2 channel stereo. Good luck.
Well, since this thread is still being posted to, I figure I should update my post.

My friend has since moved on from the VTL MB-450s to the (hybrid) Lamm M2.2s. While the printed power rating of the M2.2s @ 220 wpc is about half of the VTLs, the sense of power does not seem diminished at all. The Lamms have a firm grip on the bass response (much better than the VTLs), and yet it retains a sense of that nice tube lushness in the mid-range. The treble response is even better than the VTLs as well. It has such a nice decay to cymbals, that it still astonishes me.

(The Lamms impressed me so much that I bought a pair myself. I could not afford to buy them new, so I did the next best thing, which was to get a pair of used M2.1s (the 200 wpc predesscor to the M2.2s) for a much lower price. I always thought my Revel Studios were good speakers (no, not Eidolon great, but good), but when combined with the Lamms, the sound is very good, and better than I had ever hoped for.)

Hope this helps!
I am driving my Avalon Eclipses with a pair of Conrad Johnson Premier8 with great success - it has a lot of authority over the speakers, great musicality and drive - you might like it.