Thanks for the additional input.
Ok, I have to be honest, if not approached correctly, getting the right sound is going to be forever elusive. Given your interests and some comments on speakers are confusing.
Before you go any further I recommend stopping and slowing down. Do not buy an amp before the speakers. You want to choose speakers first then choose your electronics to support and get the right sound out of them.
I recommend you and your wife use this opportunity to go to a city with two or three high end stores for a weekend. Make reservations at the stores for a couple hour or more listening sessions. Explain in detail the sound you think you want. It is great to listen to systems more expensive than want to buy… because you want to be able to say… “that system, that is the kind of sound I want”. This will help you understand what you want and most likely identify your speaker brand. Then you need to choose for your room size etc.
After the speakers, then you want to choose your amp. You could easily overspend… or get the wrong character amp… and end up with the wrong sound.
By the way, I love the look of MacIntosh equipment. I have gone in repeatedly over the decades with the intent of buying a component. Within thirty seconds, I go “nope not for me”. Even a couple years ago my dealer said… “they changed their sound… it is more detailed , try it.” Thirty seconds… not a chance. For me.
On the other hand folks that love rock highly gravitate to MacIntosh / B&W… sometimes JBL. You see my confusion.
