I just went through the same search in a similar budget. I ended up buying a pair of Quicksilver Silver Monos, but one got lost in shipping (a long, sad story for another time), so I never got to hear them. Bummer.
As a "quick fix" (until I can afford what I want) I bought a used Aragon 8002 for under $500. It sounds very nice, with good bass control and more than enough headroom. It's rated at 125 wpc into 8 ohms and twice that into 4. Hard to imagine a better sounding amp at that price. You may also consider an Odyssey Stratos in the used market. Good luck.
As a "quick fix" (until I can afford what I want) I bought a used Aragon 8002 for under $500. It sounds very nice, with good bass control and more than enough headroom. It's rated at 125 wpc into 8 ohms and twice that into 4. Hard to imagine a better sounding amp at that price. You may also consider an Odyssey Stratos in the used market. Good luck.