Lost Angeles:
I'm going to disagree with a few people here but I think for movies etc you need a centre speaker as that is where nearly all of the talking comes from.
To answer some of the earlier questions or point raised.
Not all stereo amps (integrated amps) have dedicated input for power section. And if it doesn't have - you can't use it to expand your a/v setup later
Rubbish. If the AVR has front pre-outs then connect them into any line in on the stereo amp you don't need a dedicated input for power section.
When do you listen music in stereo, where is singer usually located?
If you will connect avr preout to stereo amp line in you will need to operate with
both volume controls, isn't it? Yes, maybe you can fix it in one position and forget about it, which can be a way how to adapt it.
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There somebody told about choosing system, not components. I think that will be more easy when you already have one piece in mind and then just need to find other complementary than try to find both pieces at the same time.
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Little bit off topic:
All that 5.1 or 9.2 thing come to our houses from big cinema where distances are
many times bigger and we have
tens of people who
each want the
same experience from sound, and that is what is putting limits on what we can do with only two speakers. In living room, usually we have completely different situation, there is only 2-4 metres between speakers and about 1-3 watchers, from whom maybe only one is crazy passion about sound. Any music lover will tell that spatial soundstage and musician locations are not a problem for stereo, and isn't every audio equipment reviewer writing something in report about does system can create 3d soundstage or not. I think that in all this 5-speaker thing business is much more than sound. Yes, maybe there is some special sound effects, never cared about them, and, yes, big tv directly between speakers killing soundstage, that's for sure. Maybe some people do not have space to put their speakers in proper places and then 5-speakers are solution for them. Or maybe I have that space because I don't have 5 speakers
Anyway, everybody has his or her own priorities; I do not want to be too much offensive or defensive. Peace.