Best integrated amps under $9k

I just posted this in a different thread but it bears repeating:

http://www.exemplaraudio.com/integrated.html

At $5500 it's well below your $9k ceiling, but it's as good as it gets with respect to sound quality.  I've been buying John's stuff for years and it's always blown me away.  I had his eXception II pre 10 years ago and it was the heart of my system. I brought it to all my friends' systems to show off what it could do in their listening rooms. Upgrading to his current one was such a change, I risk sounding like ad copy trying to describe it.

The integrated is exactly like the pre-amp I have now, except it also has a 50wpc output stage.

With your room size and volume requirements, that should be plenty unless your speakers are unusually inefficient.

Paul Wakeen of Stillpoints just had one of these commissioned for his personal system, so it's fair to say it's a piece of reference equipment even though it's squarely in the 4-figure price point.

If you're in the SF Bay Area, you're welcome to stop by and hear what his gear sounds like.

if WAF isn't a factor....

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t35.0-12/12398773_10154260081256729_2040975578_o.jpg?oh=1171d414ee561e2a9d5eca591efe7725&oe=56748F4C

Speakers at 92db/1w/1m that would be a max of 108db or so at 50w/1m

I’m using a 300b set that’s 8wpc with speakers that are 102db so that gets me about 111db.  Previously I was using 2a3 amps that are 3.5wpc and the added power did make a pretty significant difference.

I rarely listen to anything louder than 95db at the listening position though.  Louder than that just hurts.  I couldn’t imagine what I’d do w/ 50wpc

I'm a HUGE fan of extremely high efficiency speakers, but the catch is that they require a gigantic room to shine.  

You seem to have exactly such a room.