I haven't heard your speakers and the match with them would be the most critical factor for you, I'd guess, but I have owned a few amplifiers in your price range that I can comment on.
The McCormack, Audio Refinement and Sim Audio solid state amps I've had have all been wonderful, musical, versatile and trouble free.
The only way I've been able to make a significant difference in musicality in the same price range is by going with tubes. I have an AES amp/preamp combination and, for the last week, a Rogue Cronus integrated.
The two tube setups are quite different. The AES is 15 watts of triode sweetness and the Cronus is 55 watts, more dynamic and less fluid than the AES but still more 'musical' than any of the solid state amps.
The McCormack, Audio Refinement and Sim Audio solid state amps I've had have all been wonderful, musical, versatile and trouble free.
The only way I've been able to make a significant difference in musicality in the same price range is by going with tubes. I have an AES amp/preamp combination and, for the last week, a Rogue Cronus integrated.
The two tube setups are quite different. The AES is 15 watts of triode sweetness and the Cronus is 55 watts, more dynamic and less fluid than the AES but still more 'musical' than any of the solid state amps.