Just like the review in OP’s post, I also heard of AVA from Steve Guttenberg when mentioning AVA had good power amps in the $1,000-$2,000 price range.
Bought the NP1 around the time it came out last year and it was a big step up from my restored SAE 2200 amp. Since then, I’ve purchased the Fet Valve CFR and it is simply amazing. Sounds so good whether listening to music, watching movies, or playing video games.