best sub $1000 amp to mate with tube preamp

head is hurting but waded through numerous reviews for ps audio. reviewers likem,customers likem, yet there are many for sale and sounded like they have been discontinued. in regards to mccormack, the topology sounded very similar to parasound except for the "distributed node amp" part. seems a little more love for the original dna's but they are 15 years old. right now the ps audio is in the lead spot, van alstines rhetoric woos me, and parasounds design seems solid but not hearing much love. thanks for the comments thus far, what a great hobby

Very brief HCA-2 primer.

PS Audio has a history of designing decent sounding traditional components using parts that are commensurate with their cost. Away from the seen for a few years they returned with the HCA-2 one of the first of a new generation of switching amplifiers. Stereophile gave the difficult to measure $1695 amplifier a class A rating and created an instant controversy. While it doesn't sound like solid state or tubes it does have attributes of both and some of its own.

Other notable manufactures began producing, what is now termed class D, products giving credibility to low cost high performance amplification. As with some manufactures, PS Audio is marketing their second or third generations. The HCA-2 became popular for its price new and now for its value as a used amp. Some simple modifications take its output to even more satisfying levels. It's become one of those affordable stepping stones into high end sound.

If you buy one, when the time comes you shouldn't have a problem selling it.
I almost sold mine but for its current value I think I'll just hold on to it.

thanks vic,
i am looking for a bit of an "exit amp" want solid performance with no fatigue. is the sound good for awhile and then fatiguing or simply enjoyable? is its own sonic signature a good one? was its discontinuation due to issues or merely a new model. do you still use yours? thanks for the primer it was helpful. think i am narrowing things down. i do love the research and the listening. just don't want to be repackaging a bunch of return amps. research is always helpful.