suggestion for a SS class AB amp that sounds like a class A ... if such a thing exists

hegel
pass
ayre

are the purest sounding high power ss amps i have come across

at lower power/current delivery level it is the audiosector patek se gaincard clone of the original 47 labs unit

i have not heard a dagostino, goldmund, symphonic line amp in my own system

In taking a closer look at your setup I noticed the Sugden only has single-ended inputs and you’re running a 12’ interconnect between it and your DAC.  I’m not sure how much impact this might have on your sound or if the Benchmark has the juice to push the signal that far without it degrading, but if I was running interconnects that long I’d be using balanced interconnects — obviously not possible in your case.  Maybe others can opine more in depth about this, but just thought I’d bring it up as a potential issue. 

That aside, I think you’re pursuing something of a unicorn given what you’re looking for at under $2k and excluding both Class-A amps and tubes.  

@audioguy85 : my place gets way too hot in summertime to use a class A... also, it seems pretty irrational to me to waste so much electricity... I was told by a tech that what damages an amplifier was everytime you turn it on and off... when an amp consume very little at idle (or on a stand-by mode), why not simply leave it on all the time?

at lower power/current delivery level it is the audiosector patek se gaincard clone of the original 47 labs unit

@jjss49 thx for introducing me to Audiosector... I will definitely check that out...

@soix : I will change my set-up today and get rid of the 12 feet cable... I should have done that a while ago but I'm getting lazy...