Best $600 integrated for Monitor Audio RX-2?


Hello Audiogoners,
I just acquired a pair of Monitor Audio RX-2 from a fellow Audiogoner and now I am looking for a ~$600 (used/new) integrated to drive them. Most stuff I read comes from home theater forums (my setup is stereo), and I could not find many options within my price range

One caveat: the amp needs to be 50/60 Hz (220v selectable even better!), since I am taking it with me to Argentina by the end of this year.

Room: approx 16 x 13 ft.

What do you guys think I should get within that price range? I read Marantz, Rega, NAD, and Arcam pair well with the Monitor Audio RX series("neutral toward bright" speakers?), but sound varies from model to model, both within and between brands. Thus, I need your advise!

Thanks a lot in advance

Luciano
luciano33
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.
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.
Has anybody compared the phono sections of the Brio and the A-18? Is any of these units particularly better than the other?