OK my good friends. I have a dilemma at hand. I have been saving for a tube amplifier with wich to play my Ascent speakers. The budget is saved and ready to go. - I am now using a 150 watt/ch (oldie but a goodie) HK Citation 16 to play my ML Ascents. It is a beefy solid state amp of about 60 lbs. with 20 transistors. It has a lot of punch and was designed in an erra where it was supposed to sound like the Mcintosh tube amps of the day eg MC-275. Typically, I get best results using between 2.5 and 10 watts (according to the level meters on the amp) - louder is too loud and lower = loss of detail & realism. Performance in the mids is pretty good. Bass is incredible (although I do not much care for loads of bass). Highs are good - but had to turn trebble up one notch on pre-amp. So, here is the dilemma. To get to that next-level of sound that we all look for: Should I buy a tube amp with which to play my Ascents or perhaps switching to the Vantage speaker might be the better option. Both would cost the same. The question is, given the same amp, would the Vantage sound better or would it be better to put the money into a good tube amp? Here is the key: I am looking for sweet, smooth , delicate, accurate, lifelike sound that extends across the soundstage and way in back of it. Many people describe this using tube amps without having speakers as good as the Ascents. Can I hear some opinions? Maybe someone has made this choice before? Andy