Was my friend given misinformation.

@invalid

I have a marantz avr in a second system, and it doesn’t sound near as good as my main system. I tried the preouts to my amp once and couldn’t shut it off fast enough, very bright sounding with little bass. An integrated amp usually has way better preamp outputs and a better amp section as well.

The way to do this is go from the AVR pre-outs to a 2 channel preamp/amp or integrated that has HT pass-through. In that way you get two separated systems. It is what I do as I have a dual purpose room, and it works great. When listening to 2 channel, the AVR is no longer part of the chain. When in HT mode, the main/front speakers are also being driven by my 2 channel (in my case, mono amps) amp.

Do not use your AVR as the preamp. It works, but not well. Been there, done that.

That's good advice, but I have a separate purpose built room for 2 channel.

I have a Denon for ht and it’s good. For that. It treads water as a 2 channel amp.

Still...between that and the B&Ws.....the Denon wins.

Best Buy/Magnolia is the WalMart of audio. With apologies to WalMart.

He should have listened to you.

@invalid

Of course you do, but it may help someone else who has a dual purpose room, as I do, and able to achieve great 2 channel sound, in addition to great HT. Separately.

Many years ago Kenwood expanded distribution into catalog showrooms which ticked off audio specialty stores who helped build the brand in the US.  Kenwood's answer was to offer an "Audio Purist" line to independent dealers.  Sounded like the right approach to us.  We we unboxed the first integrated amplifier we noticed right away it lacked the bulk we were used to with classic Kenwood designs.  Tone controls, etc. were removed -- only the essential elements remanded.  But, sonically, it was a gutless wonder.  It was finally time to pop off the case and take a lot inside.  It was, literally, the same internals as the items made for the knobs-per-dollar retailers -- just "audiophiled up" to appeal to specialty stores.  We said "good bye" to the line.

I retired in 2016 from the industry.  I did observe that many integrated amplifiers from full-line manufacturers were just a shadow of their former selves with build quality and robustness (or, lack of it) very comparible with their AVR counterparts.

That being said, it's not a stretch to see how the Best Buy salesman reached his conclusions.  Without "real" 2-channel gear on his radar, in HIS world, AVR's and integrated amps may be the same.  "You don't know what you don't know" is a valuable asset for recruitment and training at Big Box retailers.