Retirement integrated amp for a “fiscal conservative”…..Part 1: I have a plan

Do you still have Joseph Audio Perspective speakers? Read the stereophile review where the reviewer makes a few comments that can help you as a general direction for selecting the new integrated.

To him the speakers worked best with Pass XA60.5 amps and were unforgiving when it came to less than perfect recordings.
The Pass Labs XA60.5 are warm sounding Class A amps. I’ve owned Pass electronics and the house sound is warm and luscious even with their Class A/B amps. One of the advantages of Pass amps is they make less than perfect recordings sound very tolerable.
So I would probably focus on rooms at shows that feature Joseph Audio speakers as well as rooms featuring Pass Labs electronics. See if you can find anyone running a Boulder 866 integrated as well. I find the 866 very similar in sound to Pass so with those speakers looking for integrated I would focus on Pass Int250 and Boulder 866.

@lalitk ​​​​@singere thank you for the hifi shop recommendations. Looking at the Product lines listed on their websites, it appears they carry extremely high end $$$$ manufacturers.

@roadcykler you may well be right; I’m praying you’re not (my wife is probably praying you are). Either way I win as going to a high end audio show is on my life bucket list (I suspect the Agon community can appreciate that). 

@audphile1 , yes, I still have the original Perspectives (non-graphene) and I believe I’m not getting the most out of them. Pass Labs is definitely on my amplification short list. There was a used Pass Labs INT-250 for sale last month for just under $7,600 that I would likely have bought if I knew my ears are capable of hearing the sonic qualities I’m looking for. I’m ready to place that bet yet. 

From someone in your age group (a couple of years older) and dealing with tinnitus and hearing loss (old age sucks!), I've found a Luxman class-A integrated to be my "end game" component.  At your budget, you can probably get any of their gear, at least used if not new, and you'll have the capability to use tone controls to deal with the deficiencies of your hearing and/or source material.

Another Nashville dealer, Atelier 13, carries a lot of brands that are off the beaten path, and they appear to have a bunch within your price range.  I’ve worked with the owner, Constantin, on an excellent SUT from Swissonor.  

Congratulations, Axpona is really fun.I know someone from ALBERTA CANADA  who drives Annually to axpona.He said it’s one way visiting his relative in Toronto, and in Michigan and here in Illinois.So many integrated  at the show Luxman, Pass lab. McIntosh.