Need help choosing a power amp

For 13 years, I had an ADCOM GFA 545 power amp paired with an ADCOM GTP 500 II preamp/tuner and decided to replaced the set-up when the power relay started to go on the preamp. I first introduced a vintage Marantz receiver into the mix just to use its preamp and the overall sound was noticeably more musical than it ever had been. From there, I purchased a Musical Fidelity A3 integrated amp and once again, I noticed and liked the differences almost immediately ... I felt like the MF was much more elegant and refined sounding than the ADCOM set-up had ever been. I walked away with the belief that what held back the ADCOM combo, was the ADCOM preamp.

I say all that to ask are you really dissatisfied with the power amp, because I would look to replace the preamp first or even consider going with an integrated, as they have improved that much over the years. I like the Musical Fidelity line, so a preamp like the MF A 3 or A3.2 would be nice. Upscale Audio has some new ones in your price range. Today I use a MF CDPRE 24 (A3.3 preamp/cd combo) with a Prima Luna tube power amp. Can not say enough good things about the sound.

Regards, Rich

Second the recommendations to ck out Odyssey. Excellent amps.

Look for the Bryston 3B - 4B - or 7B series amplifiers. All come with a 20 yr warranty and will be in the price range you desire.

If you are picking up Revel Concerta M12 speakers I would not go for Odyssey or Musical Fidelity. I still have a Adcom 545 in my home studio. I have owned the Odyssey and my bro-in-law owns MF stuff. Both of these will be too bright for those speakers, although they are both excellent amps, but not for your setup. I would get a warmer sounding amp like a used CJ MF series, The McCormack stuff, Classe, even the newer Adcom 5802 will sound much better and warmer. All of this stuff can be found used under $1K. Any of these amps will be a BIG leap over the Adcom 555MkII (and my Dad owned that one)!

Not to sound like a saleman, I will be selling my CJ MF-200 soon on Audiogon, and that would work for you also.

I've owned a number of amps. The two for under 2K that I'd recommend to anyone are the Audio Research 100.2, for around $1650 used, and the Classe CA-101, around $850 used. They're both robust 100 W/channel solid-state stereo amps with clean, engaging sound. More money does not, I've discovered the hard way, necessarily mean better sound. Classe's 101 is just a much better amp in most ways than their larger and 3-times-more-expensive 301.
And the ARC is almost the best I've ever owned. It bettered my old Classe Delta CA-2200 in many ways, though the Classe amp was a bit more evenly-balanced.

If you see a Forte 4a, that's a fantastic little amp and a steal at anywhere under $650. You could pay multiples more and not equal the sound of a 4a.

One I've not heard but about which sonnets have been written is the Pass Aleph 3. Maybe worth a listen.

happy hunting