What is the best receiver to use with the A90J? Budget up to $2k

millercarbon posts the same exact message on every single home theater thread, so you can pretty much ignore because he is on a crusade to kill anything "multi-channel". 

That being said, stand-alone 2-channel gear is mostly going to be a step above multi-channel (not to say multi-channel is bad).  However, at your level with speakers that are under $400 a pair, you're budget is not going to be in the "2-channel area".

The Marantz receivers are good in the fact that they are the only AV Receivers that use a discrete analog output stage.  That being said, they are voiced on the warm side and the high frequencies are softened and rolled-off.  If that's what you want, then Marantz is a good choice.

The other direction is likely going to be very close to the sound of your Pioneer.  Many will recommend Anthem AV Receivers.  They are extremely high quality and have excellent sound, but on some systems the highs can have a bright edge.  You can get a new MRX 540 for $1600.   Alternatively, you can get a new/used MRX 720 for under $2k.  The MRX 720 is the previous model and will not have all the newest features (such as Dolby Vision, etc.), but it will have a larger power supply than the 540 and provide better sound.

terrible advice, as virtue signaling always winds up being:

millercarbon posts the same exact message on every single home theater thread, so you can pretty much ignore because he is on a crusade to kill anything "multi-channel".

That being said, stand-alone 2-channel gear is mostly going to be a step above multi-channel (not to say multi-channel is bad). However, at your level with speakers that are under $400 a pair, you’re budget is not going to be in the "2-channel area".

So in other words he agrees, I am right- he just wants to have it both ways, talking out both sides of his mouth: it is a step above, but "not to say the step below is bad". What a freaking joke!

For the record, you know what we call second place? First place LOSER!

So my advice was not what you expected. Of course not! What everyone expects nowadays is the same bland We Are The World palaver. You want to live the fantasy, auxinput will walk you down that aisle. You want reality?

Here’s reality: multichannel sucks. You are on a budget. The LAST thing you need is to be throwing money on something that can NEVER sound good!

Don’t take my word for it. Take your budget, whatever it is, go in some store, any store, listen to what that will buy you in a AVR. Then compare that to what the same money will buy you in a integrated amp. ANY integrated amp.

When you scrape your chin up off the floor, I got more!

Now take your speaker budget. Whatever it is. Divide it out into two speakers, go and listen to them. Any two speakers. Then do the same with the 5.1 or whatever dreck your AVR will get you into. Now if you don’t puke your guts out of realizing how close you came to blundering into multichannel you’re a better man than I, Gunga Din!

My advice is for the real world. We now return you to our regularly scheduled hand-holding validator enablers who will never for a minute have to endure the "step down" they so glibly advise you to buy.

Thanks everyone for the replies, I love to see the passion!

So, I just wanted to be clear I’m only using this for watching film/television. 
Listening to music is not a priority for this particular room. 
How does a 2 channel set up work when the output is like Dolby Atmos?

If I’m understanding correctly, the consensus is to only have 2 speakers for the entire home theatre?

...and that putting the money into quality 2 channel will be better than “surround”?

I’m open to the idea for sure — I just never heard of this before (my current gear is 10 years old and that’s probably the last time I thought about it lol)

Thanks again for all the info I’m learning a lot !

PS I only planned to spend $2k on just the receiver... but I’d be open to spending $3-5k to do 2 channel HT... but I don’t have amps or anything. I’d need to sell my current speakers and start from scratch... which is cool if that’s the better way to go. 

Brands/models aside, what all equipment would I need? (Any additional resources you could offer so I can educate myself more would also be appreciated!)

If you really want sound quality over all, then you definitely want a stereo integrated amp and 2 speakers. The performance gap is so great literally any integrated, the worst one you could find, will sound a lot better than the very best AVR you can find. No contest. You could even spend 2X on the AVR, still not match stereo. There’s good technical reasons for this I will be happy to go into if you want.

The Polks you have are $179 speakers. About the quality level you would expect if having to buy 4 speakers plus a sub. A much higher quality stereo speaker would be something like the Mini-Lore for $600 https://tektondesign.com/product/full-range-speakers/monitors-loudspeakers/mini-lore-monitor/#color Tremendous improvement.

The Mini-Lore is highly efficient, 95dB, so you won’t need a lot of power. This opens the door to incredible high quality in a low power amp like the Decware integrated amp https://www.decware.com/newsite/SE34I.htm

Take the time to read carefully. Do not be put off by the low power. The Mini-Lore with this amp will have your head spinning with sound quality you will not believe, all for $2200 speakers and amp. You mentioned 10 years. Decware offer a Lifetime Warranty! You will probably replace tubes a couple three times in 10 years.

You are willing to spend up to $5k. Split the remaining $2800 between speaker cables, power cord, interconnect, and some Townshend Pods, you will have an absolutely incredible system. Guaranteed beyond your wildest dreams. You will be hard pressed to find anyone with better that didn’t spend $25k. Or more.

This system will be highly expandable. The main thing missing is powerful bass. Which you probably don’t want in an apartment anyway. But down the road, add subs, boom now you have it all. Upgrade speakers some day, as long as you stay with high efficiency speakers like Tekton you are golden.

Big leap, nobody else here got the nerve to come up with this. Or the experience. They would, sadly, rather complain, or lead you down the well-trod primrose path. One thing you will notice, the stuff they recommend you can buy anywhere any minute 24/7/365. Tekton and Decware you will have to order and wait. That right there in itself is a clue who is recommending desirable quality and who has the same old same old. I waited 3 months for my Moabs, totally worth it. We got a guy here now 2 months into his Decware. There’s a reason we say these things are worth the wait: they totally are worth it!