looking for solution...maybe simple question???

Volume at 50% is nothing. Most gears sound good between 11 and 2 pm position. Make sure you have good ventilation for the heat. I am not worried about it. If you hear distorted sound at this level, then you should consider more powerful receivers or amps.

Do bare in mind, when receiver makers rate their unit’s output you need to look carefully at just how it’s been rated.

I know of no rec which is going to outperform a likewise dedicated outboard amp, and that’s where I’d suggest you look to get more power, IF that’s all you want.

Onkyo rates their’s into six ohms driving only 2 ch. Integra is the higher water mark than Onkyo, yet usually supports lower outputs in terms of watts.

If you’re looking for functionality as well as a step up in power, normally the top two levels of nearly any receiver line is where to look. There are some which purport 200wpc, like Sherborne. Many of these power house rec’s also are pretty costly as they will give more bells and whistles in the bargain. Sometimes for as much as $3K - $4K new.

I’d say add an outboard amp personally, but the notes above are correct on where the vol knob rests in your rig. I set my own rec to an upper limit of 75% before buying external amplification. I’ve no idea where my vol is set to and it’s upper limit is still at that same 75%, which may or may not be effective now with external amps in place.

To prove my point, the last external amp I bought is rated at 150w @ 8, all ch driven. 10wpc more than my Onkyo, and the resultant sound is both more available, and better sounding. I choose to run it in 3 ch mode and up the ante on the power to about 200 wpc @ 8, and in 2ch it’s over 200 wpc into 8. It’s far better across the board than was the Onkyo’s amps!

OK..my Sony..an older dg510 - considering the newer STR-DN1000 7.1 - it has the TrueHD, dts-HD that mine lacks but it is also limited to 1080i (unless that can be adjusted with a firmware update somewhere down the road?
At 300.00 new...shipped! it Seems like a no brainer.

Then there is the Integra 7.8 B-stock (really nice looking piece..and about 50lbs) I have locally, but he wants 650.00 for the unit. Granted it is the last run of the high current (65w?) models in the sub 1,000 mark.... but that is about 150.00 past my budget for this piece.
I feel a compromise on the head unit will pay off on the TV I select.

I have seen a few decent amps that would be easy to acquire (Acurus & Onkyo)...the problem is the entry level receivers with preamp outputs are about double what I can justify.
so buying them is useless to me because then I couldn't afford the amps as well.
I hate to get another Sony, but for the price it really seems to hit the mark.
Perhaps I care less about the audiophile quality of my music/ H-T compared to the ability to enjoy the system. Without sweating the resources to pay for it.
I try to keep an eye out for auctions here but it seems people in my range are really hanging on to their equipment.

where is my mystery piece?
100wpc 5.1/7.1
3-4 input hdmi dts-HD
preamp out on sub/front and maybe a zone two.
under 500.00 to my door?