Need help choosing a power amp

I've owned a number of amps. The two for under 2K that I'd recommend to anyone are the Audio Research 100.2, for around $1650 used, and the Classe CA-101, around $850 used. They're both robust 100 W/channel solid-state stereo amps with clean, engaging sound. More money does not, I've discovered the hard way, necessarily mean better sound. Classe's 101 is just a much better amp in most ways than their larger and 3-times-more-expensive 301.
And the ARC is almost the best I've ever owned. It bettered my old Classe Delta CA-2200 in many ways, though the Classe amp was a bit more evenly-balanced.

If you see a Forte 4a, that's a fantastic little amp and a steal at anywhere under $650. You could pay multiples more and not equal the sound of a 4a.

One I've not heard but about which sonnets have been written is the Pass Aleph 3. Maybe worth a listen.

happy hunting

Another option is to modify your existing Adcom. www.musicaldesign.com does just this. I have had a modified original 555 Adcom in my system going on 20 years now and trust me it does not sound like the stock unit. For under a grand it would be brought to a new level of performance. In fact I'm thinking of sending mine in for the Blackgate caps everyone is singing praises about. If you do modify you always want to go with the top level mods because you will sit there listening to music going wonder what it would have sounded like if I had the Blackgates or schotsky diodes put in it.
Trust your ears...

Well put Qdrone, it may be interesting to note that I lived with with the GFA-555 MKII longer than any other power amp since. Everyone that heard it liked it a great deal. At the time I thought this amp was the best, regardless of price. Only when I started to upgrade did I realize that the 555 MKII lacked in refinements and a large 3D soundstage. (This equation could be improved upon with the addition of a good tube preamp). It will always be a part of my past where I enjoyed listening to my music a great deal. I agree that this power amp could benefit tremendously from upgrades. Anyhow, jgreene is correct in regards to the ARC 100.2, a superp amplifier!

If you like the Adcom sound, the 5802 would be a nice upgrade. There are usually some for sale here. And you won't get hurt if you decide to sell it.
Good Luck!

Autre:

If you track down the November 2005 copy of The Absolute Sound, their review of the Revel Concerta M12 speakers was done using a NAD C320BEE integrated amplifier ($400 list) as the power source.

Regards, Rich