Best $600 integrated for Monitor Audio RX-2?

OK Bo, I see where your coming from. Lots of unpersuasive rhetoric and no answer to my simple questions - what were the test parameters and equipment that you used and do you have written results? Looks like you don't.

But I have gleaned this from your post and these are your exact quotes as follows...

"I sell even a lot Onkyo surr. receivers for people who use only stereo. Because I can use 4 amps for stereo use."
So you are using AVR's and biamping from a common power supply for stereo and ....

"I know exactly were I am talking about. This it not about good sound, it is Always about getting the best for the money."
Spoken like a true Audio Salesman more interested in sales than achieving the best HiFi sound within a given budget.

I rest my case. To the OP, as your obviously new here and don't know Bo very well as some of us do, I would be very careful.

I worked for over 6 years in a very big audio shop. We had about 8 listening rooms. In my free time I test a lot. Because I love it. Comparing amps, sources, speakers and cables. Cables is the thing I tested most. On my free monday I went to distributers. I wanted to listen to expensive stuff for myself and things we did not have. I started in 1998, at the end of 1999 I owned an audio set of far over 50.000 dollar myself. Audio is like a part of whO I am as a person. I never saw it as work and not as a hobby. Music is my favorite passion.

After this I did consulting for 2 years of time. It is the freedom you have and what it makes a lot more attractive than a speciality shop. I visited many many people with sets of about 10.000 dollar til 150.000 dollar.

In 2007 I did run a speciality shop for about 2 years. I had a lot of freedom choosing the brands I wanted.

We had many brands but I loved Monitor Audio the most. Because the stage was so much bigger than others. After some time I had almost every single loudspeaker of them.

That time I also had every thing Primare produces. I also had a lot of Arcam models. I have been for a few days to Arcam in England. When you compare Primare and Arcam to speakers who can give a deep and wide stage it is easy to hear how different the stage is build.

Monitor Audio is better in producing crossovers, this give them a far more physical stage and a wider and deeper stage.

When you play the same music on the Arcam with the Platinum speakers ( which I used a lot to test at that time) the stage width and depth is so much smaller and less deep.

In 2007 I started to let people hear the difference between 2 and 3 D. It was extreme effective. Often people spend more money when you let them hear a 3 D sound. This time I also started to send clients to other shops with 2 D brands. It is one of the most effective ways of selling audio for me.

When you test a lot after time you understand the different properties of every single brand. This makes audio a lot more easy to create a higher level in endresult.

That Onkyo also could give a deep and wide stage was pure luck to be honest. I did not know it till 2010. Sometimes you need a little luck in life. Audyssey did a lot as well.

Only by comparing cables, amps, sources, conditioners and speakers etc you will understand how to use them . I use shows, visitings other shops and ditributers to hear new stuff.

I do not care about a brand, but about the best sound quality in every single price.

After time I got even more expensive stuff myself. But I wanted the same 3D level for a lot less money. That was my focus. To create a much more appealing and convincing sound for less money, so more people can enjoy a much higher level in audio.

New here......read my threads!! There are a lot...and many many answers

Hey guys, thank you all for your input.
Bo, thank you for the Onkyo models suggested, but sorry I decided I am not gonna buy an Onkyo (or a Primare). I said I had narrowed down my list to the Arcam and Brio-R.
So, I am really hoping to get some input for those amps from now on.

Paraneer, thank you so much for your input! Cheers!

It's a free world. I had discussions about the use of amps for Monitor Audio with the distributer and also with Monitor Audio England.

Last years when I was the absolute sound of a big audio show in my country, the distributer invited Monitor Audio England as well. They said that thye never heard this level out of there speakers.

Often choices are made for political reasons. I make mine to create the best endresult. At the end you decide what you will choose. It is that simple.