Can I use this amp in my house?

You may get more responses if you were to include the brand and model of the amplifier.

If the plug on the power cord is a NEMA 5-20P 125V 20 amp rated plug then per NEMA, UL, and NEC code the amplifier continuous FLA (Full Load amps) cannot exceed 16 amps.
20 amps X 80% = 16 amps. Continuous is 3 hours or more.

Per NEC electrical safety code the required branch circuit size is 20 amp. Also because of the FLA, imo, the 20 amp branch circuit should be a dedicated circuit strictly to power the amp.

If it were me I would have #10awg wired installed. The breaker at the electrical panel has to be 20 amp. Receptacle, 20 amp.

IF the amp does not have a soft start circuit for start up and causes the circuit breaker to trip once and awhile due to high inrush current you may need to have a 20 amp HM (High Magnetic) breaker installed. A HM breaker has a longer lag time for inrush current.
DO NOT install a 30 amp breaker.

Example of a 20 amp HM breaker:

Standard QO115 and QO120 circuit breakers are manufactured to have a magnetic trip point at approximately 8x to 10x the breaker rating. There are some applications, however, in which a load has an inrush current high enough to cause these standard circuit breakers to trip. Examples of these loads include area lighting for athletic fields, parking lots, or outdoor signs. To allow the high inrush current without tripping the circuit breaker, a high magnetic breaker should be used. These high magnetic breakers have a magnetic trip point set much higher than the standard circuit breakers. They can be identified by the HM suffix on the catalog number (QO115HM). Current production HM breakers are also identified with a "High Magnetic" label on the side of the breaker (see photo).
NOTE: The above explanation comparing the standard breaker to the high magnetic breaker applies to 1-pole, 15A and 20A, QO, QOB, QOU, HOM and CHOM breakers only. Other ampere 1p breakers, and all 2-pole and 3-pole versions are already high magnetic as standard. (Breakers with suffix GFI, AFI, CAFI, or DF are not available as high magnetic).

http://www.schneider-electric.us/en/faqs/FA96714/

Thanks very much for this detailed explanation. If I end up getting the amp -- a Cambridge Audio 851W -- I'll print it out and give it to our electrician.
-- Howard

Your dealer told you wrong information. That amp does not use near 2400 watts. Here is the info showing 800 watts total . A 15 amp circuit is sufficient! 
https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/products/851/851a

Loads of amps (for example many Audio Research amps like my Ref 40 and Phono 2SE or my VTL MB 450s) use 20A female IECs like this.  They do not need a special outlet. Also they use standard male plugs just like all the other items in your hifi, youll just need a 20A IEC power cord. The 2400W rating is a peak value that is likely to be reached rarely if ever and likely only for an instant. Clearly don't try to plug this in to an extension cord (and as others have noted make sure your wiring is up to spec) but other than that you should have no issues.