OP,
If you have spent years reading professional reviews and auditioning the units you have read about, then one can make good decisions made on the basis of reviews. However, if not… then one is looking for “better”.
The problem is that this completely leaves your own preferences out of it. So, for instance the really highly rated: Boulder, Luxman, Pass, Krell, Audio Research, Conrad Johnson and McIntosh have completely different sounds… if say you look at each of their $20K / units amp. There are only one in that list I would be happy with, and a total of three that I could live with.
Take a trip! Find the house sound you are drawn to.