Best processor that is excellent for 2 Ch music

I like the Audio Refinement Pre-2DSP.
Minnimalistic processor.
Remote is terrible, but htat can be replaced easy enough.

I just finished my search for a good 2 Channel processor. I owned the following: Lexicon CP-2. CP-3. DC-1 and DC-2; Cary P-7; and the Proceed AVP and AVP-2 Plus 6. The Proceed AVP, which is in your budget range, would be my preferred pre-pro. Imaging, soundstaging, and detail are excellent (and even better with the AVP-2). It is the most neutral of the three brands. IMO, Lexicon is clearly the worst among the three. Although detail is quite good with Lexicon products, I felt they drew too much attention in 2 channel mode to the L-R speakers instead of placing the sound between the speakers when the recording requires it. They are also quite bright when compared to the Cary and Proceeds. The Cary, as is their reputation, is smooth and relaxed, leaning towards the "dark" (as opposed to bright) side of the listening spectrum.

While I agree with Absolute, with your 90% split for music, I think you should go with a stereo pre with HT pass-through, which most have now. I used to own an AVP2, which I thought was great for 2 channel, until I bought a Levinson pre as well. HUGE difference.

You might also check out a used Meridian 565 and 562. These components work together and I don't think you can find any fault with sound quality for either music or movies. Meridian has a reputation in both home theater and music that places them in the upper echelons.

These two pieces, when configured, act as one. The 562 takes all your sources, whether digital or analog, converts them to digital, sends it all with one SPDIF connection to the 565, which then handles all processing, etc.

There are versions 1,2 and 3 of the 562v. Version 3 has two component video inputs/one output. The lower versions are limited to S-Video. I have a version 1, and don't even use the video switching--I just let me tv do that part. The 562 provides something like 8 analog inputs, four SPDIF and two toslink, so you cal hook up a lot of gear.

In addition to what you'd expect for HT processing, the 565 has a "Direct" mode as well as some surprisingly nice processing modes for music, like Trifield and Super Stereo. Unlike the cheesy "echo and delay" soundfields that the mid-fi market seems to favor, these really sound great, especially with lower quality source material like early era CDs, XM or Sirius. If you do go this route, you want to get a 565 with software version 6.2 which includes DTS, etc. It has eight channels of analog output to support 7.1 systems.

However, the Meridian gear is black and a pain to set up. Nevertheless, once dialed in, it's excellent. Awesome flexibility.

I feel duty bound to mention just how good the Classe SSP-30 Mark I is.Either running my Tom Evans Micro Plus thru the 5.1 input which gives you an analog bypass with no signal tapering,or using the digital out on my Denon DVD player and letting the excellent internal Dacs of the Classe process the signal this unit is capable of some seriously great sound.They are also bargin priced(with regard to retail)when they show up used on Audiogon.