Quote Originally Posted by bobsticks
Hey JM, good to have you around these parts. Now that you've been overloaded with quality suggestions...let me add a couple more It goes without saying that I'm going to second Bert's suggestion of a McIntosh. I love mine and the things are built like tanks. Depending on the model you kind find a new or delicately used one for your price.

For some good, old American tube power with asthetics you might want to check out the Vave Amplification Company along with the others listed. VAC stuff may be more easily auditioned for you and they have a new fairly new integrated that has a street price, ahem, close to what you're looking at. (Don't believe the hype on the internet pricing)

http://www.vac-amps.com/

http://www.vac-amps.com/avatar.htm


Peace
Actually I kind of like the look of the VACs. One thing in particular is they don't have the cliched tubes-on-top-of-box look.