Go to a store that sells used gear, and get a nice old fender or marshall tube amp for under $500. The Peavey you named isn't a good sounding amp, and Never Ever Ever buy anything made by Crate, poor construction, poor sound, they don't even put metal jacks on their amps, you will wholeheartedly regret ever buying anything made by Crate, I assure you.
From my experience, the absolute best sound i've ever heard is a blackface '64-'67 Fender Bassman. These heads sell for about $350. A cab can be gotten for about $150. I personally can't stand to play on a solid state or modeling amp for more than a few minutes without putting my guitar down in disgust. hell, great sounds can be gotten from a Peavey Butcher head $100-$200 and a cab. These older amps are reliable and sound so much better than newer ones that you will not believe it.
Atomic