Anything over 30-40 watts being sold as Class A is not pure class A, it’s class A biased. And the majority of the amps mentioned here are good examples. If Pure Class A is what you’re after (sounds alot better) don’t waste time with most of the amps mentioned here. And yes anything Pure Class can get pricey. Sugden and Pass might be the only exceptions, and they both make Pure Class A products. Most of Sugden’s product line is Pure Class A and it sounds superb.
The trade off to a Pure Class A amp and the sound it produces is the limitation of the wattage and it's ability to drive a wide array of speakers.