Another one to consider is the McCormack DNA-125 - quite capable of filling a room the size of yours with all the sound that it, you, and your speakers can likely take, and of high musical quality, for around $1,700.USD new.
Top strengths include depth of soundstage, imaging stability and density, textural smoothness, essential tonal neutrality, and naturalness of timbral structure, along with plenty of bass for its size/price. Does not sound cool, hard, or 'electrical' the way some inexpensive SS amps can. Unlike Kal from what I recall (might have been 225 he reviewed?), I do not find this amp on the bright or lean side, but actually slightly mellow, though not dark or rich per se (this through Thiel speakers and in comparison to VTL tube amps as my personal reference).
Weaknesses are minor at the price point and include a slight lack of air up top, not the last word in soundstage width X height, ditto ultimate transparency/resolution/speed/separation (though fully sufficient, clean, and not opaque or colored), and just small feelings of 'mechanicalness'/boxiness/dynamic reserve compared with the more open and present exuberence of equally powerful (into 4 ohms) but more expensive tube monoblocks.
Needs to be left continuously powered-up for best sound, but runs cool and doesn't suck a lot of juice at idle. Well-built and -finished, attractive appearance, managable size/weight, secure company reputation for service, and customized aftermarket upgrade path is available from product designer at smcaudio.com.
Again, the main points are that it plays much more powerfully without stress than you might think from its specs, and is consistent and true in its presentation both physically and harmonically. I wouldn't feel very deprived if my 125 permanently replaced my reference amps tomorrow - at 1/3 the price, that's overachieving.
Top strengths include depth of soundstage, imaging stability and density, textural smoothness, essential tonal neutrality, and naturalness of timbral structure, along with plenty of bass for its size/price. Does not sound cool, hard, or 'electrical' the way some inexpensive SS amps can. Unlike Kal from what I recall (might have been 225 he reviewed?), I do not find this amp on the bright or lean side, but actually slightly mellow, though not dark or rich per se (this through Thiel speakers and in comparison to VTL tube amps as my personal reference).
Weaknesses are minor at the price point and include a slight lack of air up top, not the last word in soundstage width X height, ditto ultimate transparency/resolution/speed/separation (though fully sufficient, clean, and not opaque or colored), and just small feelings of 'mechanicalness'/boxiness/dynamic reserve compared with the more open and present exuberence of equally powerful (into 4 ohms) but more expensive tube monoblocks.
Needs to be left continuously powered-up for best sound, but runs cool and doesn't suck a lot of juice at idle. Well-built and -finished, attractive appearance, managable size/weight, secure company reputation for service, and customized aftermarket upgrade path is available from product designer at smcaudio.com.
Again, the main points are that it plays much more powerfully without stress than you might think from its specs, and is consistent and true in its presentation both physically and harmonically. I wouldn't feel very deprived if my 125 permanently replaced my reference amps tomorrow - at 1/3 the price, that's overachieving.