I'm with Maineiac if you have the space in your rack. Sink the majority of funds in a good stereo pre and amp and get a decent but cost-effective AVR that you can swap out when formats (or your tastes, budget, etc.) change.
best AVR for dual use in HT/music?
I have looked at the Denon 3810CI, the Onkyo TX-nr807, some of the HK units, and the Yamaha RX-V1900. I am not sure which one would sound the best when used for 2-channel music. I run a 2.1 system - B&W 685s and a HSU VTF-1 sub. Head unit is a 15 year old Yami changer, but will replace with either lossless AIFF from an Airport Express or a used Rotel RCC-1055 changer. Has anyone used any of the above AVRs for music? which one works the best?