FWIW, you should definitely audition whatever you have an interest in and can arrange. For me, for example, Hegel sounds harsh and is weak on features. I'm not overly impressed with their build quality, especially for the $$$.
Still, a good friend has an H360 hooked up with a pair of Martin Logan EFX ESLs and a Velodyne sub. Not my kind of rig (I'm a vinyl head), but the system sounds very good indeed.
Regardless, a good dealer will give you an opportunity to try stuff in your rig in your environment to see what the best solution might be. A-C definitely does this, and others do too. Shop around - that's half the fun!