opinion on electronics for Vandy 2Ce Sig


I recently sold some JM Labs and a reciever to move into some Vandys and...

Early this week I auditioned the Vandersteen 2Ce Sig. They will be mine, oh yes, they WILL be mine.
Shortly after Christmas, I will purchase a pair (here on audiogon probably) I need some opinions on electronics.

Budget = ~$1500
I need a pre and amp both. I can probably go a little higher, but lower the cost, the sooner I am listening.

Volume: Once in a while, I like to listen LOUD! I suspect that 100wpc won't be enough...perhaps I am wrong. Anyway, I DON'T want to run out of headroom.

Room: Strange...living room with 20ft vaulted ceilings, very oddly shaped and also open to the rest of the condo, but three steps down (sunken).

Music: I listen to everything, but I really like the double bass of bluegrass music, Knopfler's guitar, keys and horns of Steely Dan and Alison Krauss + Union Station's beautiful harmonies. When I auditioned the Vandys, I thought that the highs needed some more extention....dare I say a little more brightness. I don't want to loose that midbass though. The audition equip. was PS Audio CDP, Anthem pre/amp combo (not sure the model).

I will almost certianly buy used here on Audiogon.

Here are some brands I am considering in no particular order, and would like comments + suggestions: NOTE: I haven't heard ANY of this stuff, and since I am going to buy used, I won't have the ability to audition before I buy...it's going to come down to performance/price.

McCormack
Conrad Johnson
Musical Fidelity
Bryston
Classe
Aragon
Ayre
Rogue Audio

I am also not allergic to tubes, but my wife says she doesn't want 'test tube experiments' in the living room. It seems any tube gear would have to have a case, much to my dismay.

Any and all opinions are welcome, but please don't suggest other speakers. I sat in the audition chair for two hours with a big smile on my face, so they are definitely it as far as speakers go.

Thanks,
Z
zstokes
On the amp end, I would definately recommend DNA 0.5. Go with one, and then go up the scale with McCormack Revisions. Then add a 2WQ, then go to a 2nd McCormack, then a second 2WQ. Consider CJ 10 for a pre, which can be had for about $600 here on the 'Gon. A Rev B mod McCormack and a CJ10 would be a little over your budget, but would be awesome.
I had Vandies with a DNA1 & CJ PV10. I will highly recommend the 2CE's with a DNA-1 but I'd skip the CJ & get an Audible Illusions pre-amp instead. This should yield a very musical system. One thing I will warn against though with the Vandies is you must be able to place properly or they will not live up to their potential. I fought with them for a year before finaly giving up for a smaller pair of monitors due to my room set up.
Kimber 8TC speaker wire is to me THE wire for Vandersteen's to fix the "behind the curtain" sound. Lifts the top while keeping the mid nice and tightnig the bottom. Just a sug.
Zstokes,

All the preamps you mentioned do not expose the tubes. So I geuss I'm confused..... You seem decided on a SS amp. So you won't have a problem with the wife.
Thanks for the advice folks!

Kt 88,

Right now, it looks like a tube pre and a SS amp. But,
after looking around a bit, I wouldn't be against something like Rogue M-120 Monoblocks...tubes, but you can't see them. I've never heard them, so I don't know if they would fit the setup or not. She also doesn't like the look of McIntosh stuff. The compromises we make...

The only tube-exposed amp my wife has given the stamp of approval of are the new VAC PHI series (I was daydreaming online recently, and she caught me.) Unfortunately, they are about $14/monoblock. A little out of budget for me

Hope that makes sense.
Z