It seems to me you might be looking for that tube sound without the hassle of tubes and obviously the ability to drive the stats. I have a similar recommendation as Dave has. A Pass lab INT25 might be the answer for you. It has been out for a few years now. You might be able to get one used although they are hard to come by. Pass Owners want to take theirs to 6-feet under! I definetly will never sell my XA30.8.