Integrated tube amp under $1000 / $2000

Thank you for the answers, I will be sending these to my friend, he is an audiophile but he is just finding about it now :), his klipsch are Chorus 2.

Used Decware mini torii

@grinnell 

How's tube life on this amp? Do you have to replace tubes often? 

I owned a Cayin A-50T for awhile and was very impressed with the build quality and sonics, this after owning tube amps from Dynaco, Rogue, AES and Cary. The updated model, the Mark II, adds a remote and the ability to use KT88 tubes in addition to the EL-34s used in the original. I bought mine with the stock tubes but re-tubed it with Gold Lion reissue KT77s and signal tubes which improved the already excellent sound. The original model like mine goes for around $800 used and the Mark II sells for $1,600 new.

@sfar 
Thank you this is interesting, yours and others recommendations seems to point the Cayin as a good candidate. 

Some good 2nd hand deals come up on QS monos, but the sweet EL84 20W Integrated is the real bargain if you don't already own a good tube preamp.  

@decooney 
This looks interesting as well, QS could be another option, thank you 

Thanks, I agree, my friend is not the always look for the next upgrade type, I mentioned the same thing to him, also asked him to join audiogon and this thread. But I'm also learning from all the postings here, before atmasphere I was considering line magnetic, after attending rmaf, axpona and the Florida audio show I can say my system with the atmas sounds superb, I'm still tweaking a few things, rolling 6sn7s etc. 

Which 6SN7s are you rolling through your MA-1s?

@decooney 

So many, mainly on the MP3, I have been using CV181-Z (black treasure Chinese boutique) very nice tubes, good bass and best of all no microphonics. Tried the Psvane CV-181TII, really good sound, one died within the month, something is loose inside and the tube wasn't subjected to mechanical stress or anything. Now NOS tubes, 6SN7GTs I like the Raytheons smoked glass, Sylvania's chrome domes are fine, I don't like contrary to what most people say the 5962's red base RCA's, neither the 6SN7WGT's (wartime class) neither the GTAs or GTBs, to me the best sounding are the GT'sThe MA's i'm using exclusively NOS, Sylvania's chrome domes, rca's, tungsols etc.

and yes the Sylvania's overall are the best from that era, sometimes microphonics could be an issue

I haven't spoke to my friend in about a week, have to follow up with him

Jorge u here already watching this thread? 

Cayin owners, A88T vs A100T? Can you roll kt120 150s on the cayin? The quicksilver seems to be better at this and @pepepizarro could have more fun rolling tubes as well