Vandersteen 1c, and an integrated

Your list looks great. I would second the addition of PrimaLuna ProLogue I or II integrated tube amps. NAD 372 might be fun with all that juice.

As a current owner of 1B's I can tell you they sound fantastic with a Music Reference RM-10 which could probably be found used and paired with Roger's pot in a box for right around your budget.

Music Reference RM10 is a great little amp (I have owned the RM 10, RM 9 and now the RM 9 Special Edition). If the RM 10 can drive the VS it would indeed be a great, affordable set up, and I can vouch for the Pot-in-a-Box which I interchanged with my Joule 150 MK II which I preferred to Lamm, CAT, and Placette Active - in other words a $150 pre that competes with some heavy hitters. I'm still suprised that that a low power tube amp can make the best of the bass potential of the VS1s, but theory and listening are two different things. Hard to find the RM10 used though ($800-$1200 -MKI,MKII- when they do show up).

Yes, the RM-10 really is an excellent match for the 1b's. I don't think they're that hard to drive, I also used a passive pre although not Roger's. Coincidentally there is another thread about powering Proac 1sc's which is what I now have hooked up to my RM-10 (I still have the vandy's just not sure I want to sell them) but figured I'd look like too much of a MR shill if I posted there also.