DSJR
Between us and them
These old seventies speakers were designed with a rather fulsome bass end which can get way out of control if not partnered properly.
DM2A's *could* sound way inferior to KEF R104ab's if you got the amp wrong - all sloppy in the bass and of course the BD139 flapper in the 104ab's didn't like Linn vinyl either (much better on good digital and modern LP sources... (the "ab" was MUCH better than the first version and Wilmslow Audio did these crossovers at one point in the recent past).
I'm currently very much enjoying a crown D60 on my headphones. It has no headroom - clipping point is just that unless you have two, bridged mono! - but the ability to hear straight through it to the recording (a recently re-acquired AVI pre-amp helps enormously, it's line buffering makes the sound better ordered than a "straight through" feed for some reason) is a huge plus. A later D75 or D150A mk2 may be even better, as I believe they went balanced and the 150's top end was tamed a little, without losing the huge damping they have on the bass. My D60 has original caps (some were mil spec) and seems fine, as they run stone cold and don't put huge demands on the supply.
I'd avoid capacitor coupled amps with IMF's perhaps, unless you love the richness this'll bring to the bass. An A60 used in anger would swamp the room I suspect, but I could be wrong. Naim amps (160 and 250) didn't sound too hot either (loose bass) but 135's were better in this respect and let the other positive Naim qualities through to some TLS80's a friend had for many years. He replaced them with '84 vintage 'briks (mine!) and the bass was better but the mid not...
DM2A's *could* sound way inferior to KEF R104ab's if you got the amp wrong - all sloppy in the bass and of course the BD139 flapper in the 104ab's didn't like Linn vinyl either (much better on good digital and modern LP sources... (the "ab" was MUCH better than the first version and Wilmslow Audio did these crossovers at one point in the recent past).
I'm currently very much enjoying a crown D60 on my headphones. It has no headroom - clipping point is just that unless you have two, bridged mono! - but the ability to hear straight through it to the recording (a recently re-acquired AVI pre-amp helps enormously, it's line buffering makes the sound better ordered than a "straight through" feed for some reason) is a huge plus. A later D75 or D150A mk2 may be even better, as I believe they went balanced and the 150's top end was tamed a little, without losing the huge damping they have on the bass. My D60 has original caps (some were mil spec) and seems fine, as they run stone cold and don't put huge demands on the supply.
I'd avoid capacitor coupled amps with IMF's perhaps, unless you love the richness this'll bring to the bass. An A60 used in anger would swamp the room I suspect, but I could be wrong. Naim amps (160 and 250) didn't sound too hot either (loose bass) but 135's were better in this respect and let the other positive Naim qualities through to some TLS80's a friend had for many years. He replaced them with '84 vintage 'briks (mine!) and the bass was better but the mid not...