Ironhorse if u can buy a avr with preouts, that would be the best solution... But I feels the pre outs should be reserved for future upgrade rather than buying 3 power amps off the bat... Almost everyone feels the urge to upgrade their system in a few years... When that urge hits is the right time to use the preouts to upgrade the system using per amps... That's just what I have planned... Right now I feel u should be concentrating on a good set of 5.1 speakers with marantz 6006 or 6007... Also if u can shorten the allocation of budgets for speakers then marantz 7005 would be a fantastic investment... For speakers u should try out definitive tech speakers... Their 8000 series are supposed to be very good... I have heard the 8080 in a stereo setup & was blown always with the performance... Keeping in mind ur budget u can look at the 8040 or the Polk Rti A9 for fronts... Do try & buy all 3 fronts(left,right & centre) of the same company...