Advice on AV Receiver versus Separates

While not having the latest & greatest version of Audyssey, the AV7005 is still an excellent pre/pro and combined with the MM7055 you are considering, you would be hard pressed to find an AVR that would match this combos performance for your $1500 investment.

The only thing you need to watch out for is the impedance of the speakers you purchase. I don't believe the MM7055 is rated into 4 Ohms; only 6 & 8. So make sure the speakers you select are 6 or 8 and you'll be fine as the amp generates plenty of multi-channel power to get the job done. So go for it and you'll be on your way to a great HT system.

Thanks for the great suggestions guys!

I personally feel that passive speakers with just one sub should do the trick. I care more about stereo performance personally, so want to save the budget for speakers instead of multiple subs.

Good tip on the resistance. I will keep the 6 or 8 ohm impedance in mind as I select speakers.

Also looking at the MM8003 8 channel amp as an option. That way I can biamp the three fronts. Any thoughts on this vs the MM7055?

Why bi- amp? All you need is an amp sufficient for your needs.

I thought bi amping would just double the power to the main speakers and improve sonic quality even at low volumes. Is this not right?

Only thinking about it as both this 8 channel amp and the 5 channel Mm7055 are around 800. So I basically get 3 more channels, plus what I believe is a slightly better amp.

KR4 is right. You will be wasting your breath in this setup.