If you're going into home theater, you will need to get some sort of surround sound processor in addition to an amp if you want to be able to take advantage of more than two channels (plus sub). For someone just getting into the HT scene, I'd highly recommend a receiver. Rotel, Pioneer Elite, and Yamaha make some excellent models in your price range. Plus, you're getting much more than just an amp. All three brands sound great with both music and movies.