"Arny Krueger" said:

IME Vandersteens are kinda inefficient to be well-matched to your typical
thermionic figurative peanut-whistle.

Possible.
However, I'm now driving a pair of Magnepans MG1 improved with a
simple PP triode amplifier that puts out a meagre 13volts eff. at 8
ohm parallel with 1 uF.
However, the attenuation at 4 ohms is only 1 dB, and at 2 ohms 1,5 dB,
measured at 1 watt output.
Not enough to reach high volumes, I agree, but enough to my ears in my
listening room.
Driving the Vandersteens with a Jolida should IMO be possible in some
instances.

BTW the Magnepans' efficiency is about 82 dB/W/m.
Amplifier "power" is about 20 watts RMS in 8 ohms.

--
Sander deWaal
Vacuum Audio Consultancy