Cbee-
I have to agree with some of the others that the speakers will make much more of a difference in your sound than an amp. Many would be very hard pressed to tell the difference between two receivers with a $400 difference in price, but for speakers in the sub-$1,000 price, that $400 difference (within a manufacturer's line) is liable to make a HUGE difference!

Personally, I'd spend almost the entire $1k on speakers alone and pick up a $250 B-stock receiver....

::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::