Integrated Amplifier Recommendations Needed

The Gato Amp 150 is sonically identical to the 150AE version...

Around $2K on the used market, the Denon PMA A110 and Yamaha A-S2100 are hard to beat. IME, both are competitive with integrateds in the $6K-$8K range from other brands. As an example, both have a lower noise floor than the Luxman 507z. The Yamaha produces deeper bass and sounds more powerful despite the lower power output.

I owned the Hegel H190 for a time and found it was overtly warm and rolled off in the highs. It also had an unacceptably high noise floor for an integrated at its price point, even at secondhand prices. All the lower priced Hegels run quite warm because they cram a bunch of transistors onto a single heatsink that really isn’t up to task. 

PrimaLuna EVO 100 Award winning great sounding 40 watt tube ampifier will make your JBL’s sing. Cool looking too. Solid build quality. Some pre-owned on this site for under $1900.

I am a big fan of some Denon models, such as the PMA A110. Not so much of the new Yamaha. Peachtree has free trials, in your price range.

Used Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II's go for around 2 grand.