Just went through the exact decision making process in the last few months.
I really wanted to improve my 2 channel sound and was quite satisfied with my HT performance of my Denon 5.1 receiver.
I did add a better power amp for the fronts only (Parasound 125 x2) and the overall sound was very good for two channel.
I was using the Denon receiver analog bypass setting for two channel to take the processing of the signal out.
I finally decided to get an integrated (Musical Fidelity A300) and the improvement in the sound has been enormous.
Clearly the preamp section on my Denon receiver was a limiting factor in many of the ways you described (congestion at high volumes, soundstage, etc).
If you have 5K$ to spend your choices are almost unlimited.
I don't think you need to spend that much on an integrated or a pre/power setup unless you really want to.
I went with an integrated as it seems like finding a preamp and them matching with a power amp is some kind of black art or like finding a religion.
With an integrated you know the pre and power sections are well matched.
With your budget I would look at Plinius on the low end or you can go higher to a Levinson if you want. Not sure when the law of diminishing returns kicks in.
In short, Bwyoung is right- the preamp section is very important. My uneducated guess is that the Marantz reciever two channel analog section is only just pretty good. A dedicated preamp and power setup, or a nice integrated would be a big step up.
Oh, and definitely get an integrated with preouts if you go that route. My MF A300 has them and it makes setting up the sub easy.
Have fun!
I really wanted to improve my 2 channel sound and was quite satisfied with my HT performance of my Denon 5.1 receiver.
I did add a better power amp for the fronts only (Parasound 125 x2) and the overall sound was very good for two channel.
I was using the Denon receiver analog bypass setting for two channel to take the processing of the signal out.
I finally decided to get an integrated (Musical Fidelity A300) and the improvement in the sound has been enormous.
Clearly the preamp section on my Denon receiver was a limiting factor in many of the ways you described (congestion at high volumes, soundstage, etc).
If you have 5K$ to spend your choices are almost unlimited.
I don't think you need to spend that much on an integrated or a pre/power setup unless you really want to.
I went with an integrated as it seems like finding a preamp and them matching with a power amp is some kind of black art or like finding a religion.
With an integrated you know the pre and power sections are well matched.
With your budget I would look at Plinius on the low end or you can go higher to a Levinson if you want. Not sure when the law of diminishing returns kicks in.
In short, Bwyoung is right- the preamp section is very important. My uneducated guess is that the Marantz reciever two channel analog section is only just pretty good. A dedicated preamp and power setup, or a nice integrated would be a big step up.
Oh, and definitely get an integrated with preouts if you go that route. My MF A300 has them and it makes setting up the sub easy.
Have fun!