Soundstage and explosive dynamics?

@cleeds 
I agree. PA amps aren't exactly designed for home environments. Serious PA rigs don't even use external amps anymore and that's driven the requirement for quality down. If you need PA volume and dynamics, just go buy some Meyer, Nexo, or Funktion One gear. Besides, speakers with great dynamics are efficient by nature. You don't need crazy power. 

I think johnk's idea to build a mid 30's horn is ridiculous on several levels; size, sound quality, and hassle being chief among them. 

Fans can indeed be a problem. However, there are also pro audio amplifiers with variable speed fans that do not come on in domestic situations. I recently bought a 2x250 watt rms Yamaha P2500s for my son for just 300 euro. It has a fan, but we have not yet heard it come on ever. Maybe one day, when he throws a wild party and plays his music so loud that the police will come.
It is a very well made and robust piece of gear, with Neutrik and XLR connectors and optional adjustable high pass filters. The larger 2x350 watt P3500s was recently tested and measured as well as many times more expensive audiophile gear. See here: http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/amplificateurs-de-puissance-haute-fidelite/mesures-ampli-yamaha-p...
It also sounds fine (with nice speakers).

Read here for a summary of the results (in French):

CONCLUSIONS
. La puissance annoncée est largement obtenue (370W Rms sans remontée de distorsion, pour 350W Rms annoncé)
. Bande passante extra-large (ceux qui lui reprochent de manquer d'aigu, faudra m'expliquer...)
. Distorsion infime à bas niveau, très faible jusque la limite de l'écrêtage
. Pas de distorsion de croisement, toute petite remontée de distorsion dans la zone 0.5W - 8W Rms; pas mal vu le faible courant de repos de l'étage de sortie!
. Un ampli que l'on peut utiliser en utilisation domestique comme en sono de qualité
. Quant au prix... "honteusement bas" pour un appareil de ce niveau de perfs (400 euros chez Thomann...), de puissance et de protections.

Je suis content d'avoir acheté cet ampli et son grand frère P5000S pour mon système tri-amplifié, ce P3500S va donc rejoindre mon rack pour driver les médiums CMCD-JBL. Je suis convaincu, attachant une grande importance aux résultats de mesure.
(Je suis électronicien de passion et de métier)

Petite anecdote je n'ai pas entendu le ventilo se déclencher pendant les phases ou je le faisais travailler à puissance max le temps de la FFT..
La résistance de puissance, elle commençait à sentir le chaud!

Que reste-t-il aux "classe A" ésotériques et infiniment plus chers? je ne rentrerai pas dans ce débat...

Read more at http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/amplificateurs-de-puissance-haute-fidelite/mesures-ampli-yamaha-p...

According to numerous threads the Tekton DIs should fit your requirements.

For about five grand, I built custom Tannoy HPD 315 (12" Dual Concentric drivers, ca 1975), using enclosures that are nearly two inches thick, 150 liter bass-reflex, custom built crossovers with top-drawer components, and had the driver surrounds converted to hard edge.

They sound explosive and dynamic as hell, and I am able to drive them effectively with a 9 Wpc SET 300B amp, or 500 Wpc Class D. I honestly don't think they can be equaled by any commercially made speaker systems at this price.

In my experience, they are effective at producing music on a scale that sounds appropriate to whatever music you wish to play.

Just my two cents, but then my opinion is jaded by my daily enjoyment of great music listening.

Hope you find what works for you, with the budget you have to work with.

Regards,Dan

Those would be:

1.  Linkwitz Audio Orion's or LX521's
2.  Legacy Audio Aeris (pre-owned for about $15,000)
3.  Audiokinesis Dream Maker, Zeprhin, Prisma, Jazz Module...

Or, if you don't mind a monitor, which sounds like a floor standing speaker - a real "giant killer"...

4.  WaveTouch Audio Grand Tetons / Anteros