Managed Or Unmanaged For Large VBulletin

I've been with the same host for 4 years with great support (I'll write a full review next week), but my site has outgrown the current dedicated plans they offer at my budget.

Basically I need two servers to run one large (and growing) vbulletin forum: Primary Server: a modern processor (Core2Duo, Xeon, etc.) and 2-3GB RAM to serve the php pages, run MySQL, handle mail, etc. Secondary Server: old Celeron with 512 RAM to host avatars/images on a subdomainBudget: $150-$170

This is all for one website, so I'm not sure if it's necessary for me to pay for two control panels, a fancy secondary server, etc. Is this a realistic price range?

Here's where I'm weary. A lot of hosts with deals on modern and old servers seem to be unmanaged. I can do my own back-ups, rebuild php, run basic ssh commands, etc., but I do need help trouble-shooting random issues, about 6-8 times a year. For example, in October my server was hit by this iframe javascript attack. It required some knowledgeable techs working to fix it. I rarely need such active support, but when I need it, I can't accept a "this is a software issue, you're on your own!" or "we'll escalate this ticket to our level 54 tech and get back to you right after your billing cycle."

In searching reputable companies in my price range, I've narrowed down my search to:

HostDime (managed support, but the most expensive)
DMEHosting (least expensive, but seemingly the most problematic)
Hivelocity (good deals, good sales presence on WHT)
ServerBeach (popular, experienced, doesn't seem to be known for good support)
TailorMadeServers (good deals, owner posts here often, but seems understandably busy)
All of these companies seem reasonable for various reasons, so I figured I would make a thread about my specific needs in hopes of getting more informed opinions.