For 2 channel, I agree Haoleb.
I used to use an Onkyo 797 preouts into separate amps - an Onkyo Integra M504 honker for fronts, and a PVA 5 for the rest. I replaced the 797 with an Integra DTC 9.4. Sound quality improved - major improvement. I used a Sony STRDB 1070's preouts into 3 Onkyo M282 amps, replaced the 1070 with a Sony TA E9000ES processor - improvement in sound quality was major. What's the difference? Purity of sound - music, effects, depth. I liked the sound quality of the 1070 and the 797, but the difference between using the processing sections of these receivers and these dedicated processors is major.
