My opinion is to get the best stereo experience you can and later add on HT components integrate with your stereo system.
Wish I had followed my own advice but hindsight being 20/20 and all ....
Started with a cheap Denon receiver and Klipsch speakers. Music listening was simply painful.
First upgraded the main speakers to JMlab Cobalt 816s and got the matching center speaker.
A few months ago I got a Plinius 8100 integrated.
Now, music listening is amazing. HT is better because the Plinius does a better job driving the speakers than the cheap amp section in the Denon.
The only thing I'm still tweaking is the subwoofer. Trying to optimize its performance for both stereo and HT is a challenge but I'm making good progress.
If I had a time machine I would have had hundreds more to spend on a better integrated or main speakers but them's the breaks.