Your speakers also have a sensitivity of 90db making them pretty efficient. Any 100 wpc integrated that is stable and rated into 4 ohms will drive your speakers to sound levels higher than you would be comfortable listening at.
Also it is not the amp that will give you the improvement with music you are looking for. It's the preamp! This is why you were not happy with the Emotiva power amp. It drove your speakers just fine but you were still held hostage by your AVR's poor stereo preamp, even in so called "pure direct" mode. It's an afterthought with an AVR.
If your serious about music, look into a 2 channel integrated amp designed for music with an HT Bypass feature. You can seamlessly incorporate this unit into your existing surround sound system and also have a true Hifi stereo in one installation. Google HT bypass to learn more.
Also it is not the amp that will give you the improvement with music you are looking for. It's the preamp! This is why you were not happy with the Emotiva power amp. It drove your speakers just fine but you were still held hostage by your AVR's poor stereo preamp, even in so called "pure direct" mode. It's an afterthought with an AVR.
If your serious about music, look into a 2 channel integrated amp designed for music with an HT Bypass feature. You can seamlessly incorporate this unit into your existing surround sound system and also have a true Hifi stereo in one installation. Google HT bypass to learn more.