Here's the deal...JMCGrogan2 is about right for you if you are mainly into highest fidelity possible music listening, have an excellent digital source(with good DAC's) from it's analog-out's, and home theater is a secondary priority for you!...then I think what he said is a good scenario for you to go for(or you could do better with a more budget, yet more refined used digital pre/pro for HT..but you DO NEED SOME KIND OF EXERTNAL DIGITAL PROCESSING FOR DD/DTS MOVIES!)In this case, you'd buy a high end dedicated 2 channel preamp(many excellent sounding tube preamps out there, as well as passsive jobbers, etc), connect all your sources for music listening(i.e, CD player, tuner, whatever) to the preamp, and then loop in either a receiver or AV pre/pro into an auxilary or "dirrect input" connection on the 2 ch preamp! You can then maximize your 2 channel, as well as multi ch HT! This way you can find a much less costly possibly used processor for movie dubties(i.e, anthing from used sonically excellent Acurus act 3's, to Aragon Sounstage, Classe SSP25, Krell HTS, even entry level Parasound AVP800(?)!..all sound better than most any receiver for processing dd/dts movies, down to the Parasound/Acurus!). You can use a cheeper receiver from say, yamaha, Denon, Marantz, Harmon, or whatever through it's pre-out's into your 2 channel pre for movies, and save more money if needed for budget. Many of those pieces offer more than adequate sonics overall, if your needs for HT are secondary, but you still value excellent external digital processing for movies!(and you do need this for movies, as opposed to running out of your dvd players analog out's into your 2 channel preamp!...never sounds as good!!!).
HOWEVER, to each his own! You may just find that, if you do pick one of these excellent used 5.1 digital pre/pro's to try out, you may just find that some of the unit's sound absolutely superb for your music needs! Some, like the Krell HTS, Aragon soundstage, and Classe SSP25 sound very very good from the digital in for digital connections, as well as from the analog through-put's that the Classe and Aragon offer!!!(these offer "dirrect analog inputs" for sonic purity", which is a huge benefit to those with superb CD players that already posses good DAC's, tuners, and other good analog sources, etc.). You might find that something like these unit's (in the $1200-$1500 range used or better!) offer a lot of audiophile value, and many are more than pleased with them for music and HT dubties. In short, they are superb units' sonically, most well built, and can be had for cheep on the net! Infact, the Krell HTS is still the best sounding DD/DTS 5.1 channel AV pre/pro I've ever heard for movies from a digital connection for DD/DTS!!!...world class even! The Classe's and ARagon's, maybe even used EAD's, and such are also very very good digitally as well. I owned the Krell, Aragon, Acurus Act 3, and many others, but sold quite a few brands in my time. Infact, I worked in 5 high end stores over the last 15 years. I know what's out there.
If you do try to buy a higher end AV pre/pro for your needs, you can at least find out what they can do for you! If you don't think they meet all your sonic needs, or you long for something more(better?) for at least 2 channel(You'll most certainly not lack or improve on the digital end for DD/DTS here however!), you can always sell, downgrade, and maybe go the "dedicated 2 channel preamp route, and buy a cheeper processor or av receiver for your movies, like jmcgrogan2 recommended! Infact, for the last few years, I've used his approach basically, except I used a snoically superior process for movies.
My suggestion is to try the higher end av pre/pro first, see what they can do first, then maybe pick up a high end 2 channel preamp and see if you think you're missing anything for your needs!..you can alway sell gear here on the used market, and often make more sellilng it than you bought it for! Long live the used market!!!
Good luck
