Looking for amp advice (punk, rock & reggae edition)

I recently heard some Focals in DC.  Agree with your asses,ENT about the sound.  I listened to them with a Naim Uniti Star, 70 wpc.  It was lovely and detailed but I prefer a more relaxed sound.  

I have Wyred 4 Sound ST500 mk II.  It is class D which may rub you the wrong way but I have thoroughly enjoyed it.  250 wpc.  They also make a 500 wpc version.  I listen to all kinds of music with it.  Ska, electronic, jazz, acoustic guitar, rock, whatever my 8 & 10 year old daughters want.  I have some KEF LS 50s which can be hard to drive.  No issues.  Way below your price range too boot!  Made in USA.  

If if you want a step up from there they make SX 1000 R monoblocks. TAS editors choice two years in a row if you care about accolades.  Reviews are pretty compelling. 

Finally, if you want to go integrated they make that too.  

Finally, finally, have fun! 

I would advise u to get a class"A" bias amp. They run a little hot, but the pay off is great. Think of a dragster on the start line. You rev the motor up to a high RPM, then pop the clutch.  Now think of a car on that same starting line at idle. Thats one difference in a class "A" amp. A class "A" amp amp is always "wide open", vs a class b or class d amp. You can get a used one on this site, at times. You can never have too much power. Most listening is done with lower wattage, but u need that extra high current/high wattage, to reproduce those snare drum cracks and cymbal crashes. Look for an older Krell KMA 160, or something along that line. Those are monoblocks, which u can place close to your speaker and have short speaker cable runs. The caps may need replacing, which can run into high dollars, but if u try them, don't think you'll ever be disappointed. High current and quick response is what you're looking for. 

New system sourced. Over budget but since I elected to go separates I’ll try to be patient (ha) and pick things up one at a time. Firm game plan: Staying with same brand for amp/pre for synergy.

Schiitt Sys is on its way to stand in for the preamp (figured this will be valuable should I decide to make a preamp upgrade down the line). Power amp ordered. Before end of year I will have a better system than I would ever conceived. Excited.

Researching a decent interconnect to tie the prea and amp together under $150. I want to set it and forget it. After break in, I'll start upgrading cables to "finish off" the system. Then enjoy it without pouring paychecks on it.

In a few weeks the Marantz is going to be listed. Good amp, didn’t work out for me I guess. Live and learn.

I’ll be happy when everything is in its right place. I’d rather buy records than gear.

For rock, I agree with both Plinius and hegel.   Both will work.  I have a hegel 160 for a system in my workout room and it’s sounds great.  Good base.  I’ve also had a Plinius 9200 that would meet the ill for your price range.   I’ve had a Cary sli-80 and a rogue and the rogue rocks better

@gochurchgo: So you bought a new system .... what system?

sorry I did not see this thread before. Hope you get what you are looking for, but will add my 2c. I know this sounds ...... but in order to improve your system and really get the most out of it, it is recommended:
1. Budget: 25% on source, %35 on Pre/Amp, %25 on speakers. %15 on cables. Budgeting $2500 on pre/amp for $800 speakers and $50 cables is out of whack, generally speaking. Most ppl balance the SQ of their system from source to speakers in order to optimize the flow of a HIGH QUALITY electronic sound signal. What I have learned in 10 years of this hobby is that you cant squeeze blood out of a rock.
Your system will ONLY sound as good as the weakest piece of equipment in your audio chain from source to speakers. 

2. The quality of your music will not get better with a limited-quality TT, phono preamp, or Amp. I have the Ortofon 2m Blue, that is good, probably your Pioneer deck is fine, but not the quality to match the Focals or the new $2500 amperage you are paying for.

3. Recommend spending more on a higher quality source (yes, i know, your phono pre is a giant killer, that is good) but then it is running through some low end AQ cables. That is probably why you are getting high frequencies that are bright to your ears and fatiguing to listen to. Get better cables.

If you like AQ, that is fine, but move up the chain. The cables are constricting your sound from the TT/phono. You could use a $10k TT and run them through a $50 AQ cable, and it will sound like crap. Apply the same concept from Preamp to Amp and Amp to speakers. there has to be a constant flow of a HIGH QUALITY electrical signal. if the signal diminishes along the way (cables, phone, pre, etc) then THE SIGNAL WILL NEVER GET BETTER BEFORE IT REACHES YOU EARS. It will only degrade, or change flavors depend on other electronics in the chain of sound to the speakers.

4.The Focals are good, but the Marantz is small potatoes with 45 w Class D. I have listened to it, I was not impressed, it was weak, boggy, poor detail retrieval. BUT, BTW, Class D will run those Focals as said above, but you have to have the right Class D. Takes research. Bel Canto. NuForce. Red Dragon. check them out. They will give you base in spades with a slightly warm sound that will still make your skin crawl even when you throw on the Dead Kennedy’s.

5. Solid state amps: When I read your post, I heard distant screaming: "SimAudio". known for clean, robust amplification with a full bottom end. This is what they are known for in the industry. their Amp sound used to be more clean and "clinical". BUT not the amps of the last 5-8 years: sound is clean, clear, but has a fluidity that it never really had before. that is why I think that it would mate well with the slightly warm vocals.
Consider a integrated Naim amp, "only 50 watts", but they have conservatively rated their power output for decades, more like 100 watts +. you can get a 5s-i or 5s-2 for a paltry $800 and will last forever, though might need to be "recapped" with capacitors after a decade or two. Naim sound is as clean and clear, highly resolving, like the SimAudio, but more balanced sound from top to bottom, but not a little extra bass like the Sim. I’ve owned all these amps. Sim would be like the 220 model or the 340 model. e.g If I used the Naim in your system I would ’warm up’ the source a bit (and get rid of those AQ cables, sorry) then run through the sim in to the Focals to balance the sound and get a little bit of warmth that you said you wanted.

6. Tube amps: yes, will work well, but synergy is the key. Perhaps a PrimaLuna integrated? The Dialogue Premium Integrated would do well, but it is $3300 new. could find a used one for probably $2200. I recommend this amp b/c I have its Big Brother version, the HP/High Powered amp. But they have other lower cost integrateds that would be very good as well, check out Upscale Audio website for more info. One of the owners of Upscale is part owner of PrimaLuna.

I liked the suggest of the Vincent hybrid 237, and would second that. A hybrid system would work well with the Focals. But not the early Pathos hybrids- they lack the guttural "AttacK" that you need for punk, rock.

i dont want you to second guess your recent purchase, but the next step would be to upgrade your source and cables, otherwise you are bottlenecking the SQ of your system.
best of luck. let us know what you decide