Best Class A Amp under $2,000 used?

Thank You for all of the feedback and recommendations on these questions.  I am going to take a few days to look some of these amps up.  I wish I could sit in a room, listen and compare them over a couple of days but I get a feeling that is not going to happen (ha)

Interesting @lowtubes that the older amps can still hang with more modern technology. I like the idea of a professionally refurbished older amp because some of them have a great cosmetic appeal as well.  The Belles SA-100 and most Pass amps have a great look to them as well.  About 20% of my choice would be based on this ( especially since I can't hear them). 

@Phusis -Thanks for the well written piece.  I didn't know that some of the better D amps draw comparisons/characteristics of class A.  Nothing wrong with liquidity.  I have a Peachtree Grand which is ICE and nice but I find it sort of lacking bite and texture at lower volume levels.  

One thing I didn't mention is that my Kenwood 700 M & Wadia Dac 321 is in a smaller carpeted room and the Grand system is in a larger room with a tiled floor.  The larger room does have a rug, furniture and broad band sound panels.  I will have to do an amp switch to make sure it's not the room vs the amps.  

You might start with Audio Bluebook on this site.  See what's in the market.   https://bluebook.audiogon.com
The triodes (valves) plus Class A power supply appears preconception more than a criteria which assures a quality experience. 
Unreasonable constraints elevating legacy technology (& sub-optimizations) works against you, not for you.  There is a point in the used market where you are just buying someone else out of their boat anchor.  This is business built on scale.  As the components, and various engineering trade-offs, of legacy systems become rare- available inventory inelasticity changes the value...non-linearly.   This all works against you.  Still- "may the odds be ever in your favor", though. 

@sumwhat  Are you saying there is (less than optimal) legacy equipment available at some price points while (optimal) legacy equipment at perhaps higher price points ?


"As the components, and various engineering trade-offs, of legacy systems become rare- available inventory inelasticity changes the value...non-linearly.   This all works against you."

Something closer to a Pareto curve.  Its a surface, not a point.  Amplifiers are systems-of-systems.  Transformer technology has evolved.  Discrete components are no longer +/- 5%.  Some are now chip-ed assemblies rather than PC boards. And line widths are under 10 nm with the upper end of 80 nm dissipating from stocks.  Speakers have changed. Test equipment has evolved.  Recording and mixing technology changed (evolved, arguably).  You have devices now that clock in nano (soon to femto) and a few 10s of milliseconds vs micro and hundreds of milliseconds. RIAA curve has evolved. FCC and CISPR measures and isolation have changed. There are some who find comfort in what they once knew. Economic market value isn't just set by taxonomy- alone or in large part.  Authenticity is now argued with newer, non-deterministic math. Still, some cling to subjectives in prose and poetry to evoke a consensus. Market valuations are just a sum of demand against a supply.  Baby boomers will still prefer a signature sound they have trained themselves listen for. Greenspan's 'irrational exuberance'.   

I guess he is saying we like a certain sound or sonic we came to appreciate when we were younger and still want it despite advances in technology.  It is true, we like what we like and want that, as do many in our age group (boomers)  or cohort, which creates the demand against which supply or build costs, leads to the prices we are willing to pay.