What source and amplification would you use to drive KEF LS50 speakers?

[jcn3]

i had a pair of ls50s that i tried with a creek evo 50a (speced at 55 watts/channel @ 8 ohms). i found this pairing to not work at all, making the sound of the ls50s thin, congested and uninvolving. i'd definitely make sure that whatever you choose clearly has the ability to handle the load (gets down to a rather low 3.2 ohms) and the relative inefficiency (85 db).

 

as a qualifier, i wanted to use the ls50s as desktop speakers and they were less than 6 inches off the wall. according to what i've read, performance seems to skyrocket when you get them at least a foot or two off the back wall.