Hello all - yet another HT newbie looking to buy himself some grown up toys. I bought a 42" Panny plasma at Christmas and now need to replace the receiver and speakers I purchased in 8th grade with something that will, well, kick *ss. I'm moving into a new apartment with a big open kitchen / dining room / living room. It's 13' x 29' x 11'5" and has hardwood floors. The kitchen is at one end, with a big picture-type window at the opposite (13') end. My furniture is too big for the place really so the best place for the TV etc will be in front of the window facing into the LR/DR/kitchen. A way too big L shaped sofa will face it (and thus away from the kitchen) with the DR table between the sofa and the kitchen. I haven't moved in yet but I anticipate the listening area to be ~9-10' from the TV. There is a fireplace along one side wall in the LR area and a door to the patio roughly opposite it. My only neighbor (who doesn't know how unlucky he is about to be...) shares the fireplace side wall. There will be 2 big oriental rugs in the room. The ceiling is 11.5' and flat. A normal size hallway leads from the kitchen area to the bedrooms. It is on the top floor. It's also a brand new building and one of the things they advertise is that is is designed with "sound isolation" in mind, although I have no idea what the specifics are for that.

I'll probably use it for ~50:50% movies/music but maybe a little more movies. The movies I watch tend to have helicopters and most of my music collection is hard rock or electronic (although I do enjoy good acoustic music as well).

I've been lurking here for awhile and have been eyeing M60s or 80s, 150/500/QS8 x2 or x4. I want a system that sounds great and will be (sorta) future proof when I get a house in a few years, but I'm also going to have neighbors below me and next to me. They're gonna hate me no matter what, aren't they?!?!?!?

I'm lusting over M80x2/150/500/QS8x4. Is this way overkill for the volume constraints I'll have? With the M80 being 4 ohm will I even be able to power something like this with the Onkyo TX-SR805 I'm eyeing as well? Have you guys and gals ever even recommended someone go smaller! I also wonder if I'll need some simple 1st reflection type acoustic treatments. I do plan on sticking a couple bookcases along the common wall.

Thanks for your patience. Lots of pics will reward your assistance...

Cheers