I agree, Arkprof.
I have had a pair of Ohm 4X0s for the past 17 years. They are still going strong and still sound fairly good, but I was torn between upgrading them or spending about as much to get something that sounded better with a modest output tube system. They were the last upgrade I made.
I live about a day's drive from Cain & Cain, and was passing through a few months back and stopped in. I was deeply impressed with both the folks and the speakers there. I was originally thinking of getting the Abbys and a Bailey subwoofer, but spent a little less and went for a pair of used IM Bens. (May get a sub to go with it later, but most of what I listen too isn't that bass heavy anyway).
The difference in sound is quite incredible, and although I have always loved the Ohms I don't think the upgrades would have given this degree of improvement given the 60W tube system I was drawn to and already had put together.
Your words: big, easy, effortless, natural sounding - these are the exact words I would have used to describe the IM Bens with this set-up. And although I've never really paid that much attention to the "sound stage" phenomenon before hanging around Audiogon, it is just magical now with the IM Bens.
I'm really VERY pleased with the system, going back and rediscovering my whole collection now.
Thanks for your feedback.
