My first suggestion is, buy whatever Audion tube amp you can find up to your spending limit. The synergy between Audion's fast, expressive sound and Zu, including Audion's tonal completeness and their ability to civilize the ribbon supertweeter makes that brand a first choice. 300B SET, or KT88 SE Tetrode, or even the 300B push-pull integrated for more bass discipline than the SET amps offer, will be great.
If you can find the Quad Classic II Integrated either discounted or used to fit your limit, it's a real option. It uses power amp circuity inspired by the original Peter Walker design, but it's a Tim deParavicini rework to use the KT66 pair for 25w/ch output instead of 15w. It sounds beautiful and strong, and generally I like the quality of today's production KT66 copies, than current KT88s and EL34s. The Shuguang Treasure KT66 is excellent, and the basic Shuguang Genelex copy is not only very good but are available cheaply with cryo treatment and they are also excellent. Otherwise the Quad II-Forty route is excellent, though you can (and should) consider a better preamp than the QC24 -- that line's weak link.
In solid state, consider the Lavardin Reference 30, or the LFD below the reference model. Neither will sound transistory on Essence.
Others: Melody AN211. 16/16 SET watts but lots of drive. Also anything in the Melody Astro Black series that captures your imagination. The 22, 40 or 50. You can also come in lower, with the Mystere ia21 integrated. Or go separates with the Mystere ca21 preamp + a pair of Quad II Classic monoblocks. You have a lot of option today, given the tube amps coming out of China. But let me add another ss option:
Luxman L550A II or ax. Class A, 20/20w, lots of drive; beautiful. You only have to stretch a bit to get one new.
Phil
If you can find the Quad Classic II Integrated either discounted or used to fit your limit, it's a real option. It uses power amp circuity inspired by the original Peter Walker design, but it's a Tim deParavicini rework to use the KT66 pair for 25w/ch output instead of 15w. It sounds beautiful and strong, and generally I like the quality of today's production KT66 copies, than current KT88s and EL34s. The Shuguang Treasure KT66 is excellent, and the basic Shuguang Genelex copy is not only very good but are available cheaply with cryo treatment and they are also excellent. Otherwise the Quad II-Forty route is excellent, though you can (and should) consider a better preamp than the QC24 -- that line's weak link.
In solid state, consider the Lavardin Reference 30, or the LFD below the reference model. Neither will sound transistory on Essence.
Others: Melody AN211. 16/16 SET watts but lots of drive. Also anything in the Melody Astro Black series that captures your imagination. The 22, 40 or 50. You can also come in lower, with the Mystere ia21 integrated. Or go separates with the Mystere ca21 preamp + a pair of Quad II Classic monoblocks. You have a lot of option today, given the tube amps coming out of China. But let me add another ss option:
Luxman L550A II or ax. Class A, 20/20w, lots of drive; beautiful. You only have to stretch a bit to get one new.
Phil