Reference 3A

Have had the Grand Veenas for a couple of years.
Run the with a Modwright preamp and either the Bel Canto 1000s or a Mac 275. Sounds great on both amps.
Went to RMAF again this fall and nothing really changed my opinion on the GVs.
Did really like the Joseph Audio Pearls but at $29k?

You might investigate the First Watt J2. It's designed with a tube amp paradigm, but it's Class A solid state.

I like that First Recommendation. Seems like 25-30 Class A watts will drive the Veenas beautifully. Now if you are like me, you will prefer tubes, but tubes do need amps that are suited to tubes for optimal performance, which the Veenas are (like Merlins and Verity)- so why not go tubes? If you can find a used First Watt Aleph J, I bet that would also be superb match with the Veenas. You don't need a lot of power, but really "good" class a SS watts.

I have a very good integrated amp that has a tubed pre-amp section and a SS amp function. Per the specs., it puts out about 120 or so watts into 8 ohms. I'm not planning on upgrading the amp., but before I pull the trigger on the Grand Veenas, I want to make sure.

Griggs, if you read owner's comments and reviews of these speakers, you will rarely read anyone preferring solid state amplification. This is not to say solid state won't work, but it's unlikely to get the best out of the speakers according to the comments I've read.

It's best to buy speakers you love, and then buy the appropriate amplification to drive them. You're going about it backwards.

If you want a good integrated for those speakers, I would look at a Jadis DA30, for less, the Master Sound DueTrente. That being said, if you could afford the Pass XA30.5 integrated, that might a very good match if you insist on SS -- what is your budget?

I'm happy to consider another speaker. My search continued. I'm happy with my amp. I have a very good tubed amp in another room, but prefer my hybrid amp.

You may really like the Reference 3A Veena or Grand Veena with your integrated. You may also have the opportunity to mate the speakers with your tube amp down the road.

A great speaker is a great speaker. I just wanted you to be aware that there may be a better amp match than one that's solid state.

I use a pair of Red Dragon Leviathan monos and the sound is fine to my ears, but I am going to investigate what a Mac 275 will bring to the party.

If there is an improvement I will make the change.

I am satisfied with my present amps, but all the hype about using tubes on the GV have whetted my curiosity and that usually costs me money.

So keep the comments coming about Grand Veena and amp match ups.

I would also ask that speaker wires be added to the mix,as I have found that getting the best sound out of the GV have a lot to do with the wiring also.

More than any other speaker I have owned, and there have been many of all stripes, the GV seem very particular about who's company they keep in cables.

Then again maybe the Mac will make cables a non issue.

Tried the Mac 275, very nice,robust sound, a different take than the Red Dragon amps,the ideal amp would have the best aspects of both.
The Red Dragon amps seem to have more speed and keep it together when the music gets complex, but the Mac has it when the music is less complex,voices are better thru the Mac,more like real human voices.

Either amp makes the Grand Veenas sound very listenable,so it's a toss up, I wouldn't say the Grand Veenas are just for tube amps.

I even tried an ancient 20watt Tubed(6v6)integrated amp and heard things niether amp was capable of reproducing.
So more experimentation with power amps, tubed and solid state I think is the order of the day.

One thing I will say about the Grand Veena then is that it's only limitations so far seem to be amp related.
Give it a less revealing amp and that's what you'll hear, give it an amp that is over etched and that is what you get.

In other words it tells it like it is, and so far the only sound I can attribute to the speakers is the sound of the amp partnering it.

I have owned many other speakers where it was the other way around.

I am always impressed with the sound that they get out of the Grand Veenas at the shows. Why not get recommendations from Reference 3A?

The Carissa amp from Art Audio also works very well with the GV.No lack of power or any sense of strain from this 20 watt SET amp.
Some vintage Macs are in the works.

Sound great with Mac 275 and with class d amps with tube preamp.