Around $1,000: Receiver or Seperates?

[paul_pci]

The mainstream companies such as Yamaha, Denon, and HK will load up their receivers with more bells and whistles than guys such as yourself need or want. Then, what's a guy to do, who wants occasional surround sound, quality music, but can do without all the fancy features? First than all those mainstream manufacturers because they have ratcheted up the pressure for high end manufacturers to produce five-channel receivers that are high on quaity and low on unnecessary features. Check out: Rotel, Arcam, B&K, and even Marantz. I'm sure there are others. If you've got the money, I'm sure they have just what you're looking for.

[N. Abstentia]

Receiver. With only $1000 to spend you won't even be able to get a preamp (maybe unless you go used) and you'd still need at least another $500 for a used 5 channel amp.

[JonW]

Receiver. With only $1000 to spend you won't even be able to get a preamp (maybe unless you go used) and you'd still need at least another $500 for a used 5 channel amp.

OK. The budget is flexible, though.

Given that I'm so new to this... What, really, is a preamp? Something with all the needed electronics, inputs, outputs, etc. but no power to drive the speakers, correct? I didn't realize they were that expensive. How about getting a cheap ($300-500) AV receiver to handle all the electronic stuff (i.e., a preamp) and then adding amps for power?

[JonW]

The mainstream companies such as Yamaha, Denon, and HK will load up their receivers with more bells and whistles than guys such as yourself need or want. Then, what's a guy to do, who wants occasional surround sound, quality music, but can do without all the fancy features? First than all those mainstream manufacturers because they have ratcheted up the pressure for high end manufacturers to produce five-channel receivers that are high on quaity and low on unnecessary features. Check out: Rotel, Arcam, B&K, and even Marantz. I'm sure there are others. If you've got the money, I'm sure they have just what you're looking for.

OK, good idea. If companies like those foucs more on sound quality and less on gizmos, that could be good for me.