Take this more as thinking out loud than a specific suggestion. Appreciate the history the staff is giving on products that were tried and didn't take off.
Some sort of EL34 or similar tube based amp/integrated? A little more power (10-20 watts per channel is plenty), wide range of tube options for rolling enjoyment, keep it cost-effective (OK to still be a grand, give or take). Something that might be a better match with less-sensitive speakers (is it mean to say insensitive speakers, ha!) or allow more grunt with sensitive speakers.