The Belles has to be favourite for me
The Pre and Monos I had were outstanding VFM

Both the Lector VM200 and Lab12 Suono are Class A. Both sound good to me with the Lector having the edge.

Well the Lector is almost solid state, just 2 teencie-weencie valves!

Yes the streamer / DAC / phono stage / Class G whatever that is does put me off rather ...

But thank you for giving me a good laugh with your 'complete dickheads' banter ... 

They've really tried to make it sound like something new. Dual or sliding power rails have been around for a while - I think the Japanese gave it various different names. Yes, it helps with efficiency.

Arcam does seem to be the only "major" manufacturer actually running with Class G though, and 5 years is more than enough time that if there were any huge flaws people would probably just have stopped buying Arcam amps, and the journals, blogs, forums, would be all over them.  Instead, Arcam are bunging out Class G at the top end of their ranges.  I wish I'd got the cash to hear one with a view to purchasing.

You did say you didn't want to go vintage either, which is why I refrained from offering some suggestions.

Hi Jules 

I completely forgot about your non-vintage requirement . But that is OK, it made me remember a amplifier I had on loan from a friend whilst I was waiting for my Allnic. 

It was class A/B and was switchable to run in just Class A, a very fine amp it was as well, very well built and it sounded great, it is the Vincent SV-234. The existing new equivalent is www.vincent-tac.de/en/product-types/integrated-amplifiers/sv-237mkii.html but there are other models see UK vincent dealer.  

There is also a used Vincent SV236 for sale www.hifi-intouch.co.uk/products/4411/19/integrated-amplifiers/vincent-sv236-mk.aspx and there are several other older Vincents, including Mono blocks on Ebay. 

So back to the SV234, SV236 or SV237, these are very, very good amplifiers and super VFM, Vincent are not so well known in the UK, but do not let that put you off, for the money they sound amazing and are very well built. In all honesty I was amazed at just how good the Vincent SV234 was, lovely tone and lots of low end control, I very nearly cancelled the Allnic amp order and purchased it from my friend, in hindsight it would have been a much better mover, but we all learn. You can see the advert on AOS, as I sold it for my friend, theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?62165-Vincent-SV-234-Amplifier-excellent-condition , Jerry(jandl100) on here purchased it and had it for a while, he is well known for amp swapping, I think he still may be swapping.

A couple of things to be aware of:

Few ampfliers are true pure Class A, the amount of power needed to remain class a above around 10watts is a lot, so most are design to switch over to class b at some point. Do not let that put you off, the Vincents run in Class A up to 10wats as per their spec, and this is absolutely more than enough power to get seriously loud volumes from most speaker, they would need to be seriously inefficient for you to go beyond 10w in normal listening. 

Something you may want to consider is the power usage with class A amps. My 80w Krell when producing music uses 300-400w/hour, so that may be something you would want to consider, if you listen 4 hours a day, at current electricity prices you would expect around £10/week on your electricity bill, at the 50p/Kwh.  But it keeps the lounge nice and warm, the Vincent was at least half that cost to run I think.

You will find it very hard to find any class A amplifier that weighs in much less than 20kg, it is down to large transformer(s) and heat sinks, and casing and so on. But 20Kg with help is not too much. I sympathise with you on your back injury, I have a prolapsed disc at 4/5 vertebrae lower spine, and have to be careful myself, also after a bypass I am restricted to 15kg lift really. If you get someone to help 20kg between two os not too bad. or use a sack trolley and tie it to it and go up the stair one a a time tacking lots of rests. 

Unfortunately as far as I am aware there are very few new or nearly new true Class A running amplifiers manufactured, or class A/B, that will fall into your price range. However others may know of some worth considering, 

I hope you find this helpful one way or another.

Arh Lad, don't forget the the whippet thrashers & toe tappers club membership scheme Linn * Naim The unoffcial Freemason's sonic weapon of choice er sorry audio system, its like that famous line from that well known mirthful film "We've got both types of music here boy country & western"