Tube amplifier upgrade suggestions welcome.


I currently have a Musical Fidelity m2si and some Tekton Lore speakers and would like to buy a power amplifier to upgrade my system.  I'd like to keep the m2si in the system as a preamp.  I'd like more clarity, bass, and dynamics in my setup.  I have up to $2K to spend and thought I'd try out a tube amp since my speakers are supposed to be very tube-friendly.

I have considered something like a Parasound A23+ or Rotel 1582 amplifier -- what are the equivalent tube amplifiers to these?  I'm in an 11' x 12' room with horrible acoustics but I've treated it with 8 GIK 244 bass traps and have added an SVS-SB1000 to fill in the low end which helped a ton.  How should I proceed from here?
128x128shawn3997
Would you consider a used Raven Nighthawk integrated to be a better move than buying, say, the Parasound A23+ new and using my m2si as a preamp?  This is kind of where I'm at decision-wise. 

I ask this particularly as I have (supposedly) very high sensitivity speakers and right now I'd rather have fewer watts that sound better than the other way around. 

A long time ago I had a much better audio system and I know I'm missing a lot when I play recordings that I know really well.  For instance, on Holly Cole's train song I know the person doing all the funny percussion effects moves around the soundstage from right to left and front to back and you can clearly hear that on a good system. 

I miss that level of clarity.  Everything is kind of scrunched up and fuzzy right now, sound wise.  Can I fix that at least partly without spending over $2K? 

Right now I am running Roon to a Chord Mojo, the m2si, and then to the Tektons which I really like.  I really like the Mojo too, actually, so it's the m2si that seems to be the weak link.
@tomic601

why ? he knows one answer, at best.


aww you’re ruining the fun 🤭
Upon study, it seems I am looking for something like a First Watt amp but you don't see them for sale very often and not at my price level.  I had a Linn LK280 some years ago and that was a great amp but it ran so hot it burned the boards which is what keeps me from buying a used Klout. 

I think like 10 watts class A used or the like is what I want, used.
Would you consider a used Raven Nighthawk integrated to be a better move than buying, say, the Parasound A23+ new and using my m2si as a preamp?  
A tube integrated would be a better way to go than using the MF as a preamp.
Raven builds highly regarded components, you should check user reviews of that amp.
I second adding  Quicksilver and Decware to your list.



I'd love a Raven but that's out of my budget and I don't see any used models available, unfortunately.

You are saying I'd be better off buying a tube integrated than using my m2si as a preamp and buying a tube amplifier to add to it?  I was thinking at least that would get me into separates for later upgrading and I'd not have to count out the m2si entirely.