I wouldn't worry about the Berning. It can drive huge sound labs speakers. It also has an A/B switch so when your changing pre-amps you can still listen to music or better yet sell your pre-amp and run and audio aero straight into the Berning.
If you don't like it you won't loose much on re-sale, they allmost sell for more than what they cost.
Forget about solid state, don't waste the money on a CJ, the berning has 4 feedback settings and a 70 watt rating that sound better then a sim w-3's 200 watts.
This is prolly equall to about 300 watts IMO as far as command of a speaker. If you have the money do some searches on the Berning here and at the asylum in the tube forums you just might be able to save yourself a few years of dissapointment.
Thats all I have to say, do search for yourself and tell me I'm wrong yes I have heard the amp ZH-270 and it was the best I've heard bar none even mega buck amps.