Basic system for living room

If you are looking to buy new I would recommend the Outlaw RR2160 integrated amp/reciever. I had been searching for an easy to use integrated for my wife to stream digital files in our living room used mostly for background music. After auditioning a few amps from Hegel and Peachtree, I settled on the Outlaw driving a pair of Proac Studio 3’s.

For the $799 price tag, it has a lot going for it including bass management, multiple digital and analog connections, DLNA streaming and it sounds fantastic.

With your budget of 2k, I would think a used pair of Kef ls50’s or the recommended Ryan r610’s (I have owned these and they are great) and the Outlaw would make a fine system and you may have a little bit of money left over for some decent stands and cabling.

One thing I did that made a nice improvement was replace the stock power cord with a Zu Mission and the amp/preamp jumpers with Kimber PBJ’s.

Best of luck with your search and enjoy your new system!

Quad Z-1 or Z-2 (see Underwood) + Belles Aria.

I like the Parasound Integrated amp and whichever bookshelf speakers you might like. Listening is everything. Brands I would audition are Paradigm, Monitor Audio, KEF, B&W, and many others. If you get the amp new, you could buy a pair of speakers second hand and get something special. B&W would be one I would look at-  like 805. If you have the floor space the new Magnepan MMGi with the mid-bass module would sound tremendous.

Belles Aria. Also some great prices on Hegel H160 now that it's been replaced...

I concur on the Belles Aria.  I lived with the Parasound Halo Integrated for 1 1/2 years.  Then Johnny R at Audio Connection played a Belles Aria Integrated and the sound totally blew me away.  I couldn't believe the quality of the sound for the $$.