Was my friend given misinformation.

An AVR will convert all of the analog inputs to digital, then use a digital volume control, digital signal processing, etc., then go back to analog for amplification.  The AVR will have lots of extra output channels and you'll end up paying for that.

A proper integrated amp should be analog from the input to the output.  One easy thing to look for is the presence of a motorized potentiometer for volume control rather than a rotary encoder, though the presence of a rotary encoder doesn't always mean a digital volume control.  If an integrated amp without a DAC is chosen, said piece will not age out as DAC technology progresses.  

Some friends will take advice, and some won't. That's just the way it is. In defense of Magnolia, I went to the one near me and bought my Oppo there. The Magnolia section was separate from the rest of the store, and the guys there did know what they were selling. However, they only sell a few brands. They carried McIntosh and Martin Logan to name a couple. Not bad, but limited.

well at least he has an AVR if we wants to add to build a surround sound system.  I am sure the salesperson qualified him 🤣🤣🤣.  Did he go in saying I am looking for a 2 channel system for audio?    AVR , Audio, Video , Receiver.  If he told the guy/gal I am not playing video and have no need for all of those Video features he should have walked out with a 2 channel integrated .  Maybe the guy said he also wants to watch movies etc... B&W 603s will be fine

Yeah, Magnolia is really into home theater.

From long ago, an integrated amp is a receiver without the tuner.

That being said there are integrated and there are integrated, you

can spend 1k on a NAD or 38000 on the CH-Precision 

I1 Universal Integrated Amplifier, both integrated but not the same!