To "tube" or not to "tube"

For those speakers (802s) one needs lots of high power in their tube amp---how much $$$ are you thinking???

The Summits already have 400W of SS ICE amps for the subwoofers. So all you need is a MODEST powered HIGH QUALITY tube amp (for the screens). Stats and tubes are the "cat's ass," and you'll never go back once you're addicted.

If I had a pair Summits, I'd get the new McIntosh MC275 MkV. Not only did it better my Levinson SS 23.5 (and there's not much that does!) it's a BARGAIN @ $3900. I got one for my system. I have a pr. of CLS-IIz and a ML Depth - pretty much amounts to the same thing as a Summit, though I like the sound of my setup just fine TYVM. (see system)
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hey george, well I'm hoping to to keep my budget for amp and pre under 5k.(if AG comes thru) My old set up was BW N803's powered with matching Classe gear, a nice CA300 and CP 50 pre with a matching Classe CDP, I think that would have handled both these speakers well, But I heard a set Of Summits out in Seattle that were powered with Mac,s ( I forget what pre's) and it knocked me out.
jb

JB a lot of people use a pair of (mono paralleled) MC275's (150W ea.) to drive Summits. The nice thing is you could get one now and use it in stereo (they actually produce 95+ watts/ch), and add another one later and run them as monoblocks. There are some used MkIV on AG now. They're the same as MkV (which now has real binding posts ;--) You could also get a used C 2200 preamp (total = $1k over your budget) or the smaller C 220 preamp (total = right on budget)
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Nsgarch,
duly noted! Thanks,
jb