Luckily I never had your problem (with a mortgage, 3 kids, their college loans and a sick mother who is the cheapest of all (only a few grand a month) I can afford to chase 30 year old $30 amps on shopgoodwill) 
a rant
after 30 years of being so enamored with stereo equipment - im ok now just listening to music
im no longer chasing - whenever i have bought new equipment it never sounded as good as i think the reviewer thinks it does. maybe 5% sounded really good and the other 95% - im still waiting for them to break in.
My fantastical brain wanted every piece of equipment to sound incredible. i think the key word is "chasing".
See, now tube amplifiers are all the rage again - it was class d about 3 years ago - it was solid state about 6 months ago - whenever i have tubes - i want solid state, whenever i have solid state - then i want tubes - then ill try class d in the meantime
Im just saying - this hobby is the "space mountain" of roller coasters - ya think!