From the amps that I have heard, it would be the Theta Digital Intrepid, by a long shot. Yes, it may run slightly above your budge (I picked up a new, demo unit for $2,300), but my golly is this a sweetheart of an amp! Its abilities far exceed it relatively meager 100wpc rating (200 into 4 ohm). Using just two channels, it drove my difficult Thiel CS3.6's with ease (I now have Theta Enterprises on the 3.6's, and use the Intrepid for center and surrounds). The musicality, tonal balance, and soundstage of the Intrepid are better than any 5-channel, 100wpc, single transformer amp has a right to sound! In a head to head with a McCormack DNA-225, the Intrepid sounded better with my 3.6's. Then, in a later head to head (in my home) against an Edge NL-10, the Intrepid sounded just about as good as the much more expensive (and dual mono) Edge.
Tom.
Tom.