Amplifier suggestions please

@johnto Thanks!  I love the 3's.  Do you know which model AVA amp your friend is using?  

+1 for the Benchmark AHB2

Why are you so apparently, "Stuck" on a, "Balanced Only", set-up in your rig?
 I kind of get "get-it", as I went through what I shall a, "Phase" doing basically the same thing at one point!
But that was years ago and I got over it as nearly all of us do.
   "Yes", "XLR cabling" has it benefits. But limiting yourself to JUST XLR in/out config.?
That is WAY, way, way more detrimental to your possible choices at this point in your rig than if you didn't worry so much about that right now. "OR, ever even". As the XLR's benefits "Can" be, "Negligible" at best, most of the time.
I have many amps. Many "Great", amps. This according to friends, reviews, and reputation. And also my own humble opinion. And most of them? Are in fact "RCA, only", in/out. So I would simply advise you to,
 "Quit that"!
 Having said all that, it just occurred to me....
I do have a "Threshold, T-100", amp. With both the XLR and RCA inputs. "Factory mods". That both sounds amazing, and has been recently serviced. And is also for sale. AND it is within your budget. "In case you are interested". Also a "Threshold A400", with the XLR Mod. But that amp is above your price-point.
     And if you wanted to up that game? Up it, "Quite", a bit actually??
 I also have a pair of the "Manley Labs", "Snapper"", mono-blocks with both the the XLR/RCA's. Which are a little bit over your budget. But, the "Manley Labs", "Mahi", mono-blocks which I have? Those would be at the top of your price-point. And they would work just as well as the, "Snapper's".
 BUT, You would in fact be restricted to the RCA inputs only!

Yes, I have the "Manley's" above to sell, but I really only mentioned them to make my point above.
 Hee hee, I really don't "Want", to sell them at this time.....
But the Threshold T-100?
Yes, definitely, It needs a good home!
 
 One more point, Just in case...
You do realize that cabling is available which has both the XLR on one end and RCA on the other, which does in fact exhibit the same benefits as the "XLR only ", cabling right? "
Any noise is still canceled and any of the noise/distortions thus relieved are shunted back to the XLR device and done away with.
 Just always use a quality cable!

 Regardless, Good Luck!!

You do realize that cabling is available which has both the XLR on one end and RCA on the other, which does in fact exhibit the same benefits as the "XLR only ", cabling right?

While cabling does exist with this configuration, this really isn't the right way to do it.  Converting XLR to RCA and vice-versa really needs a signal transformer (such as those available from Jensen) or a conversion circuit with an op amp (not optimal at all). 

XLR circuits that don't have a receiving end for the negative polarity can sometimes run hot or not optimum if it doesn't have a "load" on that signal pin.

I'm not saying this configuration won't work, but it is generally not recommended.

----

And another note.  Trying to turn the opinion of the OP because you have stuff to sell is not completely un-biased.

Well, I never claimed to be, "Unbiased", Hee hee. 
No-one truly can be!
 But you cannot tell me that a, "Threshold", "T-100", amp wouldn't be a nice fit!
 ANY Threshold amp would be really...."IMHO", I've yet to run into one that was not nice.
 And mentioning the other amps was way more to make the point I was trying to instill. I really don't think I'll part with those others right now. But my collection is too large.
 I offer when I think I can really help. Other than that I have never sold anything here. I have never advertised here either. I use other sites for that when needed. Well, For a "charity case" once. But that is it. 
AND I am not affiliated with any company which sells, services or makes amplifiers. "Speakers"? Yes, But not those other components!
 I notice all the time people whom "Are" affiliated with that type of business trying to sell. Usually not, "Outright", maybe but at times that as well. But it's sometimes some pretty, "BAD" advice they throw out.
 "Specifically", when they list the gear which they sell or make.  And many times listing gear that's not really of a "really good" quality or at least,  "No better" than what a person has already! Just a bit more on the, "New" side. And when one is attempting to upgrade a system? AND on a budget? 
That should truly be a "Cardinal Sin"!
   Isn't there a special "10th Circle of Hell", just for that particular transgression??