Good!!! Glad to hear that you're considering upgrading your amp, which was decidedly not maximized... Rowland would be a great choice for SS - try older used rowland gear, or look at the Classe Omega Stereo amp which has great power, amazing soundtaging and minimal fatigue factor for a SS amp. It sounds like budget is an issue, so I can't recommend Boulder in good conscience...
That having been said, you said "maximize" so I HAVE to say that tubes would make all the difference and could be chosen for a high-power, low maintenance system. You could go VTL (very high power) and wouldn't go wrong though I didn't feel even these amps were optimal in combination with this speaker system (I heard MB450s with the Sophias) - better yet, you could do the VAC 220 beam power amps (I have seen two recently advertised and paused over each ad myself just to have a spare high-powered tube amp) which have better soundstaging IMO and can be had for about $7K. Also, you could look at the plethora of medium power tube amps - many of which would suit the Sophia's own broad strengthys and build a wonderfully musical system. You really, really owe it to yourself to see what a truly world class tube amp could do for your sophias!
hope that helps somehow. Best of luck again,
Jacob
That having been said, you said "maximize" so I HAVE to say that tubes would make all the difference and could be chosen for a high-power, low maintenance system. You could go VTL (very high power) and wouldn't go wrong though I didn't feel even these amps were optimal in combination with this speaker system (I heard MB450s with the Sophias) - better yet, you could do the VAC 220 beam power amps (I have seen two recently advertised and paused over each ad myself just to have a spare high-powered tube amp) which have better soundstaging IMO and can be had for about $7K. Also, you could look at the plethora of medium power tube amps - many of which would suit the Sophia's own broad strengthys and build a wonderfully musical system. You really, really owe it to yourself to see what a truly world class tube amp could do for your sophias!
hope that helps somehow. Best of luck again,
Jacob