Bobby P and I listened to a lot of his early Merlins together, typically on tubes. I’m still a big fan of the midrange/treble clarity and presence I get from good tube amps. There are a lot of good choices. Having a bit more power never hurts, but IMO it’s more important that it sounds right to you.
VTA from tubes4hifi still offers some good American iron at reasonable prices. Kit or finished. Bobby’s old audio pal, Ken Stevens (CAT), still makes some of the best tube amps going, and are priced accordingly. I’d also consider a tube preamp.