How about a reasonable middle ground, Audiotomb? One does not have to abandon HT all together to have a satisfying all-in-one system.
Just understand that there are compromises to be made and you need to prioritize what you want when selecting components and speakers. Many of the old "high end" manufacturers are delving into the realm of HT and their products represent a satisfactory way of getting a nice balance.
Stick with matched speaker systems if possible, and definitely across the front, but there is more room for fudging w/ the surrounds. If you can't match the surrounds, look for speakers w/ similar drivers/materials, and sensitivity as your front speakers. Listen to them on two-channel music side-by-side w/ your mains. You can match things up that way.
Go for separates so that you can always integrate (or convert to) a pure 2-channel setup. Many of the better pre/pros offer a pass through for a two-channel configuration. And, increasingly, they have analog bypass features that allow you to use a top-notch CD player or upgrade to an outboard decoder/processor. Flexible bass management is also important and will allow you to get the most out of your surrounds.
Don't allow so-called "purists" to scare you into not giving a combo system a try. It can be very satisfying if configured and calibrated properly.
Just understand that there are compromises to be made and you need to prioritize what you want when selecting components and speakers. Many of the old "high end" manufacturers are delving into the realm of HT and their products represent a satisfactory way of getting a nice balance.
Stick with matched speaker systems if possible, and definitely across the front, but there is more room for fudging w/ the surrounds. If you can't match the surrounds, look for speakers w/ similar drivers/materials, and sensitivity as your front speakers. Listen to them on two-channel music side-by-side w/ your mains. You can match things up that way.
Go for separates so that you can always integrate (or convert to) a pure 2-channel setup. Many of the better pre/pros offer a pass through for a two-channel configuration. And, increasingly, they have analog bypass features that allow you to use a top-notch CD player or upgrade to an outboard decoder/processor. Flexible bass management is also important and will allow you to get the most out of your surrounds.
Don't allow so-called "purists" to scare you into not giving a combo system a try. It can be very satisfying if configured and calibrated properly.