Okay, went back with the ol' SPL meter and regulated the actual output (decibels) between watching the main clip on the THX DVD I ordered for testing. I still noticed clearer dialog and brighter high tones, the enriched fullness of the music and speech was noticeable. The amped setup, without adjustment, was louder (in decibels) so it had to be turned down to compensate. But, even when adjusted, the loud sections sounded better and I could understand even the quietest dialog without effort on the amped setup.
I closed my eyes and let a friend freely switch back and forth between the amped setup and the A/V Receiver alone and I was eight out of ten in guessing which was the amped setup. (He would pause the scene, sometimes switching it, sometimes not, adjusting the volume accordingly to keep the decibels the same).
Again, great points and suggestions. I'm learning so much as I go hear, this has been awesome.
