Moving to separates

Great question, and yes, a separate amplifier will very, very likely yield an obvious step up in terms of bass detail and overall solidity of the sound. I recall going from an integrated amp years ago to my first separate amp, and wow, no going back after that...it was an immediate step up. Now the question is which separate to get!

I’m gonna guess here with your aversion against cables and your inability to hear difference in power upgrades. There wouldn’t be much noticeable improvement on your current situation.
the question I’m asking is what is your speaker and before you go start buying an amps get a speaker. That will do justice to that new fancy dancy amplifier you’re gonna buy.

but, yes, I along with practically every single other person has noticed an improvement when they went to separate.

if you click on my name and go to my profile you will see a list of my components. It is also suggested that you do the same. There are people on this site that like to look at that for they feel it will help them help you which it will. Enjoy the musical journey.!

Ok, I have added some photos to my profile.

Well, I made the switch way back in ’94 in the oldy but moldy days of Dolby Prologic, and the AVR I had been using was a JVC (I forget which model). What I switched over to was a B&K HT digital preamp, a Cary SLA 70 Signature (amp) for the left and right speakers, a 30 wpc Rotel amp (I cannot remember the model, but later I guess I can check) for the rear speakers, and an identical Rotel amp, but in bridged mono, for the center channel speaker. At the time I was listening to a Carver CDP.

This was over 30 years ago, but as I remember the main improvement was not in the HT experience, but listening to CDs was more enjoyable. I don’t even do HT anymore as sometime in the later ’90s all my upgrades went into my two channel system.

If this is just for HT I wouldn’t bother unless the AVR just doesn’t have sufficient power, which it probably does. If it’s at all for 2 channel then get a stereo integrated amp and run the front L/R preouts from the AVR to the HT bypass or other unused line input on the integrated. Reason being that the preamp sections of mass market AVRs suck and preamps are important, so if you just replace the amp the preamp section of the AVR becomes a huge bottleneck to performance and using an integrated amp gets the AVR completely out of the signal path for 2 channel, which is what you want. Hope this helps.