The other factor I was considering is paying to buy power over and over again. I’m not sure what the lifespan of an amp is, but might it not be less expensive in the long run to buy separate amp power that’s sufficient and then just upgrade preamp/processors as desired to keep up with the latest and greatest technology thus avoiding paying for the power section of the AVR with each upgrade?
A good amp, built with quality components should last a very long time. That's the direction I'm headed. My Pioneer receiver has 7 (8 including the sub) pre outs, so once I'm done upgrading my speakers I'll be looking for an amp or amps to take over the heavy lifting. Then I can move to a straight pre/pro and never look back.
