Best $600 integrated for Monitor Audio RX-2?

The A18 has a nice Phono stage. When I sold the Arcam's we also sold many record players with them.

This speaker uses crossovers which can give a wide and deep stage. In this price range it is one of the best in this part.

I do presentations for Monitor Audio. Onkyo is the only brand who can give depth and wide in the lower price ranges. All other brands are almost 2D.

If you want to spend 1500 dollar. I would look for a Primare integrated. Gives a 3 D stage with your speakers. Is a good combination for sound as well.

It is not about trashing. Every single person needs to get as many options as possible. It is a free world!!

It is only about letting people hear the options between different amps.

When you also do highend audio, it is special to give the same way of image for a lot less money.

I send my clients to other shops as well. Audio is all about comparing and listening.

The older primare like the I30 is a stunning integrated for the money you can get it. I Always look what a person wants and how much money they want to spend.

For 1500 dollar you can get a used I30.

The Arcam ( What I Sold far over 8 years of time) is in his price range one of the best sounding amps. Very involving. But it lacks the 3 D image.

I did run a shop for 2 years were I also sold Arcam. Primare is a higher price range. So for new amps you cannot compare.

I did do thousends of tests in audio for almost 16 years of time. I test every single amp of it is 2 or 3 dimensional.

I sold a lot Arcam in the lower price range in the past. That time I did not sell Onkyo.

When client buy Monitor Audio speakers with their amp they own. In the Neterlands it is often a Denon or Marantz.

I bring in a Onkyo as well. Then you understand what a much wider and deeper stage does with your music.

So they start saving money for an Onkyo. Audio can be very simple and convincing!

Cheers

I sell even a lot Onkyo surr. receivers for people who use only stereo. Because I can use 4 amps for stereo use.

The Onkyo will use the full capacity of the transformer also when you use 2 or 4 channels.

With Audyssey you get more precision as well.

My focus is only on the best sound. I also do a lot business with the distributer who also does Arcam. They asked me if I want to do Arcam again. When focus is only on 3 d it is shame not to use it.

The distributer of Arcam said to me at my home: Arcam does not have this sharp focus and deph.

Paraneer: I know exactly were I am talking about. This it not about good sound, it is Always about getting the best for the money.

I can get everything for dealer prices. I only work with those which can give me the best results. That is a decision I take. Because it gives me the best sound to compete. Things can be very easy in life.

Marantz and Pioneer: both 2 dimensional brands. For example people who buy Monitor Audio speakers by me and have Marantz amplifiers. I Always take an Onkyo with me.

The difference in sharpness in individual focus and stage wide and deth is huge. Then you understand what 3 D gives. Audio can be easy and convincing, so keep it easy. I still use shops who sell 2 dimensional amps. It is a lot of fun and it makes me laugh how low the knowdledge is in audio in general.

For 600 dollar I would buy a 727 or 626. Go for the older models with Audyssey when you want to play 5.1. Only choose for the new ones if you use only stereo.

I did test the new Onkyo amps for Onkyo Benelux 2 weeks ago.

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

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.