check out the Epos line.
I had the 12.2 monitors, and was VERY impressed. I like them better than the VSA VR1s even. best bass i've ever heard out of a monitor that sized.
their floor standers can't suck, based on what I heard. Id buy them again in a heartbeat.
as for an amp...., i'm mutli-channel clueless.
but for two chans, and a reasonable price, the Music Hall MAMBO or MAVEN are awesome, and smoke the Sony receivers in 2ch mode.