Which is better: separates or receiver?

I think that Onhwy61 misses the mark ... a carefully matched system does not need a dedicated room with sound treatment to reach higher than a lesser receiver based system!!! The room IS important, but not likely to mask the difference between systems. My "non-dedicated" room is not a factor when I change something as "subtle" as a cable!! Buy used, shop carefully and you will far exceed a new system at the same price point. Leave a sizable chunk for cabling your system. This I have learned the hard way. If you plan to have any distance at all between any parts of your system, plan on even more for cables.

Onhwy61 ... You are right. My post assumes that the current room is at least acceptable, from a sonic stand point. Tweaking a room can cost a bundle or next to nothing if done creatively. I just feel that dismissing seperates out hand due to a lack of dedicated, highly specialized listening space is short sighted. Sharing a room with other household activities does not preclude making good sound, or even getting more out of said room through changes. Ergo, imho, seperates are still a better bet ... ASSUMING that the current room isn't a sonic basket case.