With you strongly considering monitors for the speakers, I would for sure check out the Revival Atalante3s. They are insanely good (and well within your price point).
https://revivalaudio.fr/atalante-3/
Lots of great choices on the pre/amp side of things. I personally lean towards integrateds to keep things neat and simple, so something like a Rogue PharaohII or Rega Aethoes/Elicit/Elex are really fun combos with the above the speakers. Or even a Marantz Model30.
Taylor
www.goldprintaudio.com