Is there any truth to this question?

I may have missed it in this post, but what type of preamp are you using?
I have been beating this to death on a couple different other threads but a recent preamp purchase for me changed the character of my system 100%. I guess my point being that before the pre.. I thought I had a lack of power because I was turning it up so loud to hear detail. I couldnt have been further from truth.

Mcpherson I'm using a YBA preamp and amp. If anything it has too much gain. I can't turn it past 11 o'clock on the volume where I would prefer around 2 o'clock for the loudest setting. My D/A converter is 1.0V output so that helps compared to the standard 2V output of most cd players. My turntable I need to turn up a bit louder but no where past 11.

For your situation, listening nearfield and not at high volume, amp power is not likely the key to good sound.

If you take Minor1's advice and audition different amps to see what sounds best in your rig, don't count out some of the better Class D amps if you do look at amps with more power. Mine do quite well listening near field at lower volumes. But again, power alone is not likely the solution to your needs. Try some different amps and see what works best.

Have you thought about trying a buffered preamp to eliminate gain in the preamp stage and give you more control over the volume range? Buffers from Pass, Burson, Dodd, or Horn Shoppe could work nicely with your YBA amp and they are very reasonably priced.

The Vandersteens are an easy load for most amps (including OTLs); IMO going with a more powerful amplifier is likely not the best move- it will be more likely that the 'first watt' issues will be exacerbated.

If you play the system as loud as you can, does the amp clip? Does it get harsh? might be the better question. If no I would be wondering if its worth worrying about.

This is not to say that you can't make improvements, but maybe that a bigger amp may be a step backwards in your situation.