need amp advice

Don't take this wrong (can you see the insult coming? I don't mean to), but you can spend all the money you want on an amp, but your Yamaha is gonna' suck the life right out of the music. Trust me. I thought that I could get by using an old NAD integrated that I had laying around until I could afford a REAL pre-amp. It just didn't cut it. I can only guess that you'll have similar (if not worse) results. You need a pre-amp...Or you need to separate your music system from your home theater system. As they say, "You can't have your cake and eat it too." At least, not on a budget, as most of us are.

I don't know if you've purchased the Soliloquy 5.3's yet, but you may want to think really hard about them based on what you've said about frequent moving and the fiance' not being very understanding of having loudspeakers 4' out in her living room.

The 5.3's are rear-ported which is one of the primary reasons for their need to be placed away from the rear wall. Soix is dead-on when he says that speaker placement and room interaction are equally important (if not more so) as the components they're driven by.

I had a pair of Platinum Audio Solo's which I LOVED. Unfortunately, I moved to a new home where my listening room is about half the size of the old house and the Platinums are rear-ported. I tried for several months experimenting with placement, but could not tame the bass coming from the REAR ports. Interesting note...Platinums are mini monitors with TREMENDOUS bass output (32hz). Earlier you said that you're not fond of stand-mounted speakers because of the lack of bass. Not necessarily true. Also not true is the assumption that monitors are less critical with room placement.

You might want to look for speakers which are sealed rather than ported (or at least with a port on the front) and which seem less finicky about placement. I know you've got your heart set on the Soliloquys, but you'll probably be very disappointed and frustrated when you fire up your system knowing that your speakers are not performing optimally because they're sitting 1' from the wall where they "look" the best. Trust me, I've been there. It's all about tradeoffs. If you can't place them where they NEED to be and still keep the peace, then you're probably better off with something that "SOUNDS" better where they "LOOK" better, if you know what I mean. All the more reason for an in-home evaluation - Especially with speakers!!!

Maybe some of the other contributors can recommend speakers that are more forgiving of room placement so that you can compile a new audition list??