The $10,000 Question

Speakers up to 8K, I highly recommend the Daedalus Muse speakers.  I haven't heard any better in that budget range.  Heirloom speakers that sing and can handle a wide range of amplifiers, including low-watt tubes. 

@jrcotner Interesting and very astute question!  Many audiophiles often ignore the very important issue of component synthesis, which often makes a world of difference.  If your intention is to drop 10K in one place, I would recommend spending a few bucks in travel expenses for some serious critical listening in one or more high-end shops.  With proper advance preparation and communication with the appropriate shops and a 10K budget you should be able to score a serious discount(s) on some very nice equipment.

That being said, based upon personal experience, I can attest to the fact that McIntosh amplifiers ... well ... McIntosh amplifiers sound stupendous with just about any appropriately matched speakers.  However, my ears particularly enjoyed Sonus Faber matching, which is probably why McIntosh Group acquired them.  After the better part of a 9-month serious seat-time speaker upgrade quest involving, as best I can recall, somewhere in the vicinity of 18 different speakers, I eventually came home with a pair of Revel that sound great with my MAC.  The MAC sounded great with a pair of Paradigm I previously owned, as well, but the Revel were/are a step above.

As for other amp/speaker marriages that I've spent serious seat-time with, in your target budget, my ears particularly enjoyed appropriately matched Luxman & Revel; Luxman & Focal and Simaudio Moon & Martin Logan.

Generally speaking, with efficient or sensitive speakers, you won't need massive amounts of amp power for a 15' X 15" sound room, especially if you listen at modest or less than live performance decibel levels.

Good luck in your quest.

Quicksilver and Rogue are great at that pricepoiny and both pair well with vandersteen speakers. You could stay under budget with a pair of newest model 2 or move up the line to the model 3. I think you’ll find the pairing sounds amazing

@jrcotner, as you live in Minnesota, I love New Ulm, you should give Bill Soderholm a call at Stereoland in Bloomington, MN. I’ve been buying audio gear from him since the 70’s since he opened his store in Minneapolis. He and his team were super helpful when I put my most recent system together in 2021 during the pandemic. If he doesn’t have what you want, he can definitely get ahold of it for you. 

I also have a Prima Luna integrated amp.  It's paired with the Focal 936's.  The pair are honey to my ears.

Cheers!