CCR~
As I have a large Klipsch collection thought I would reply and offer you some help. I'm not familiar with the specifics of the Yamaha you have, but the Klipsch speakers you have are very efficient and therefore 70 watts per channel is plenty of power. A big question for you that you didn't address is whether you use your system primarily for music or HT. I'm assuming music. If that's the case then I would recommend going the amp/preamp route. I put together a nice Rotel seperates system just for music and it's clearly superior to my Denon 3802 for music. Now if I'm wrong and it's HT you use more often, then a receiver is perhaps a better route. Seperates for HT can get pricey. It would be helpful if you would provide exactly what it is that you are trying to add/gain/improve with a new receiver or amp/preamp. Folks could give you better advice with that.
The brass bands you refer to on the RC-3 are there because Klipsch speakers can be bi-wired. Basically means you run two sets of speaker cable to the speaker. One set for the Low Frequency and one set for the High. If you don't bi-wire, then you retain the bands so that both LF and HF are fed the same signal from your single set of wires.
As for the $750 question with your Klipsch I'd take a look at the Denon 2803, Harmon Kardon's, Onkyo/Integra line.
~shoe
As I have a large Klipsch collection thought I would reply and offer you some help. I'm not familiar with the specifics of the Yamaha you have, but the Klipsch speakers you have are very efficient and therefore 70 watts per channel is plenty of power. A big question for you that you didn't address is whether you use your system primarily for music or HT. I'm assuming music. If that's the case then I would recommend going the amp/preamp route. I put together a nice Rotel seperates system just for music and it's clearly superior to my Denon 3802 for music. Now if I'm wrong and it's HT you use more often, then a receiver is perhaps a better route. Seperates for HT can get pricey. It would be helpful if you would provide exactly what it is that you are trying to add/gain/improve with a new receiver or amp/preamp. Folks could give you better advice with that.
The brass bands you refer to on the RC-3 are there because Klipsch speakers can be bi-wired. Basically means you run two sets of speaker cable to the speaker. One set for the Low Frequency and one set for the High. If you don't bi-wire, then you retain the bands so that both LF and HF are fed the same signal from your single set of wires.
As for the $750 question with your Klipsch I'd take a look at the Denon 2803, Harmon Kardon's, Onkyo/Integra line.
~shoe