Best Mainstream Receiver for 2 Channel Audio

I'm looking to pick up a receiver to serve double duty for home theater and 2 channel audio. I'm still unsure how much quality I'd lose from a dedicated stereo preamp/amp or integrated but I'm currently looking at the mainstream brands - Sony, Denon, Marantz, Onkyo, Pioneer, etc. Which make and model do folks here most highly recommend for 2 channel audio quality? Price range would be $1500-$2000.