It's getting crowded here in "time out".

The Amp Envy is starting to get to me.

Okay, I do have a question about implementation of the PROCESSOR part of that equation, though.

I perceive that there are NOT many affordable, robust pre-amps being marketed, especially compared to the feature sets being delivered in even mid-priced receivers. The newer receivers regularly mentioned around here (Denon, Onkyo, others) are VERY full-featured processors that also happen to include an amplifier section in which we may or may not be interested.

Now, conventional upgrade path wisdom is that a person could use one of these full-featured receivers as a pre-pro with one of these wonderful amps. That makes sense to me. However, simply not using the amps in the receiver doesn't remove them from the receiver chassis. Typically, the physical separation of the processor from the amplifier is cited as an important component of cleaning up the signal path and hearing the angels' wings beat.

So, for you engineer types, does simply NOT USING the amplifier in the receiver meaningfully (audibly?) diminish the amount of electro-wavy interference introduced to the signal path, or is it really in fact necessary to get a dedicated, amplifier-free processor in order to reap the benefits of sonic bliss?

If somebody at least understands what I'm flailing around at, please chime in.

bibere usque ad hilaritatem