Beginner money for separate Amp/Preamp for Hm Th

The HiFi public is moving toward integrated a and/or powered speakers.
Your "friends" got it backward.
Sorry no recommendations with insufficient info.

Yeah, there’s not a lot to go on here re: what you’re looking for in terms of sound characteristics that are important to you.  Also, you’d probably be better off figuring out what speakers you’re going to upgrade to (or upgrade speakers first) so you get an amp suited to drive them.  It sucks to find speakers that blow you away only to find that your amp doesn’t work with them sonically and/or functionally. 

That said, just keep the Denon for HT and get a good stereo integrated amp to handle your front L/R speakers.  The 4806 has preamp outs you can use to incorporate the integrated seamlessly right into your HT setup, and it’s super easy to do and lets you completely remove the AVR for critical 2-channel/vinyl listening just by pushing one button (if this sounds too good to be true it is, but it works anyway).  Many of us have done this here when HT and stereo systems had to coexist in one room.  If this sounds like something that’d work in your situation we can go over hookup, but like I said it’s stupid easy.  Anyway...

ditto soix   
Just too lazy to write it out.