Integrated Amp Bargains with good balanced sound?

Two integrateds I would recommend in that price range are the Audio Refinement Complete, which might take awhile to find used, and the Onkyo A-9555, which you could buy new for $500.

1. No, you shouldn't worry about the power outlets. They're sometimes a convenience but shouldn't be a factor in your decision.
2. Most of the amps that have been recommended will have speaker 'binding posts,' not spring clips. You'll find spring clips on less inexpensive gear and they don't provide a very secure connection or much contact area. Binding posts generally offer the possibility of using anywhere from two to five connection methods, including bare wire, banana plugs, spade connectors and pins. Any of those are an acceptable way to connect the speaker wire as long as the fit is good.

RCA connectors aren't used for speaker connections on amps like this. The RCA connectors you see on the back of the amp are inputs for sources like a CD player or tuner.

If you click here and look at the picture of the back of the Onkyo A9555 I recommended you can see the RCA inputs at the lower left and the binding posts for two pair of speakers near the center. Those particular binding posts work best with either bare wire or banana plugs (by prying out the little plastic protective caps in the ends of the posts.)

Dkzzz - the AC outlets on the back of the amp are not tapped into the amp's transformers, they're connected to the incoming AC from the wall outlet.