Best AV receiver if I also want very good music?


Hello and I apologize if this question is a joke to some (most?) of you or is over-asked - though I tried googling to no avail! I know many believe that it's best to keep audio and video separate, but I can't help but wonder IF by now they might have a halfway decent all-in-one on the market?

History (skip past this paragraph if you want to avoid these details!):

I'm no true audiophile but music is my #1 love and I was spoiled by my parents' old analog Marantz system as a child which makes it very hard to like anything else (!). I like to know I can have my music loud and powerful with strong bass, treble and clarity (not the most descriptive words I'm sure), for my medium-sized living room (well, large if you count that it's a long living room and turns the corner into an open entry way which goes into dining room). I pick up on a lot aurally/am very sensitive to music and sounds in general (on a side note, I'm wondering how many on here also have found that they have a history of being more in-tuned to sounds in general or able to imitate sounds or have really good pitch, etc?) - so don't want to make light of it just because I don't consider myself an audiophile, if that makes sense. I want as good as I can get away with.

Preferences including budget:
Need to keep it around $1,000.00. I want the modern features for best all-around movie/TV/internet experience with our new TV but want to know I can switch from surround sound to two channels for best stereo sound for music. I don't have to have the best music but I do want better-than-average. All I have for speakers are two canada-made Clements speakers which are to my ears superb for their size (about 16" tall and 9.5" wide). Someday I can add more for the theater sound but I'm fairly content with movies being just in stereo for the time being. But I do need a receiver ASAP cause without a modern one we can't use our new blue-ray player with internet apps. I'd also like two extra zones though one extra is okay too - I want to at least be able to hear same music in kitchen. In general I want to find a receiver that does it all cause I don't have a lot of space (in the best location for whole system) and I want to leave room for record player and several other components as it is. There are several other features I would like but I won't bore you with it all here as the main concern is good music out of an AV receiver if possible. If there's nothing good enough on the market yet - subjective as that may be - can you point me in the right direction re. separates?

I've been wondering about the Marantz SR6006.

Thanks so much!
aria
As you only have two speakers for the time being, and music is your #1 love, why not consider an integrated amplifier? A good integrated will outperform receivers and many separates, and will work fine with your blueray players analog outputs. Check out good classics like the Creek integrateds, which have capability for remote speakers as well.
Aria,

I do not understand what an older receiver has to do with internet apps on you blue ray player. Simply use the stereo analog outputs of the blue ray player into your receiver and connect the hdmi video connection directly into your TV. That is the way I set up my daughters new system and it works great. Most older receivers will sound just as good as any of the new av receivers provided you have them checked out and any out of spec parts replaced.

We could all help you a lot more if you would list your components. As Arni stated above, you would probably get better performance from an integrated amp than a receiver. In my family room I use a Fisher 400 tube receiver with a pair of rogers ls3/5a speakers and an older pioneer dvd player and it sounds great. You do not have to mix the audio and video thru a receiver. In fact most dealers would recommend you keep them separate for best audio sound.

As for separate Zone you probably would need a AVReceiver to make that work. Or at least a processor with a separate zone out.

When you decide to move into surround sound there are lots of older surround processors that sound great but do not have the latest decoders. Most of them would sound substantially better than a AV Receiver. The value of any component that has to do with surround sound or video usually drops like a rock. That does not mean that it does not perform good but just that as new surround formats are developed the value of the product decreases. The great thing about analog equipment is that it does not matter if a new decoding method is developed. You can always decode the music in the BluRay Player and send out the analog signal to your older receiver, integrated amp or preamp. If we can help let us know.
I would reccomend the Marantz. A super deal can be had if you go back a few series. I still run my video through a older 5.1 Marantz and put the DVD directly into the TV.

I also own an older Sunfire Ultimate receiver ( I paid $ 700.00!) which sounds amazing with a pair of Sonus Faber Concertos. Again the DVD goes directly into the TV. Some say you sacrifice the video upscaling of some of the new receivers but my systems sound better, and thats my priority.
The Sunfire Ultimate Receiver mentioned by Weiserb is a powerhouse. There's one on ebay right now.