Six-months late to the party here, but I’d like to share my experience as it relates to some past and recent comments/questions.
I own YG Hailey 2.2 loudspeakers and have for many years and have zero desire to replace them with anything else (except for some uber-priced loudspeakers and associated higher level components that I'll never be able to afford). I nearly purchased the Carmel’s (they had a set in the Arvada CO production facility in anodized red that were simply cool looking and different than anything YG was doing at the time), but when I heard the Hailey’s there was no going back. I bought the original version and have since had the upgrade to 2.2 completed – I’m thinking seriously about the version 3 upgrade). I've paired my Hailey's with an amazing integrated: the Ypsilon Phaethon. While not as well-known (and this is a shame) as many of the more mainstream integrated amps (with larger associated advertising budgets), this integrated is a hybrid design (tubes in the pre and SS for the power output). When I first purchased the Hailey's I was using Ayre and while the SQ was good, there was just an edge of brightness to the sound that I needed to fix.
I demo'd in my home a Gryphon Diablo 300 (it wasn't good in my room and system); Rowland, T&A, Burmeister were all better, but still just not what I was searching for. And then finally I heard the Ypsilon Phaethon in my system in my room. Sorry to use the word "magic" again in this series of posts, but honestly it was like magic had occurred. The tube in the preamp section sweetened the sound without any loss of resolution or clarity at all volume levels -- all the detail is present and the sound delivery is so smooth. The spacing and soundstage are all correct, in fact the sound has become truly holographic in that it extends to the outside of the speakers (something I had not before heard in my room). The mid-range is both dynamic and lusher, without any loss of accuracy and it has become easier to follow the melodic lines of individual voices and instruments, and do so without any listening fatigue during extended listening sessions. With the acquisition of the Ypsilon my system became essentially marvelous, it has retained everything I wanted when I bought the Hailey’s and together it has become truly musical. (BTW, the system sources include a dCS Rossini APEX/clock and a Thales Slim TT / tonearm with an Ikeda Kai cartridge).
This combination of loudspeaker and integrated has surprised and impressed most who have heard it. Many came into the room expecting something average and left fascinated by the SQ produced, some even expressed astonishment at hearing for the first time the YGs coupled with the Phaethon. I know the Phaethon is likely above the price the OP wanted to spend, but when you can find and acquire an end-game combo (in this relative price range) it might make sense to stretch a bit. If you have any access to the Ypsilon products it would be worth your time to seek them out and have a listen. Of course, there is better sound to be had at higher price points and with focused and intentional room and component improvements, but I am beyond satisfied with the system I have put together.
