If you want the best 2 channel sound from your analog sources (turntable, cassette deck, analog tuner), you can run a preamp in a cinema bypass configuration in series with a HT receiver. Connect your TT, tuner, etc to the preamp, then run the preamp outputs directly to the power amp for your front r/l speakers. To get the receiver signals (DVD, TV, etc) to the front speakers, connect your front r/l preouts from your receiver to either a processor loop in/out or a set of aux outputs-that way, you can switch the receiver preouts to the power amp thru the preamp without running your analog sources through the preamp and potentially picking up receiver-generated noise. Of course, this requires one to purchase a preamp that has a better phono stage and electronics thatn what is available in the receiver, but that is pretty easy to do since most receiver phono stagres these days are afterthoughts. I am using my Adcom GFP-565 preamp (seen on Audiogon for $300 or so), which has a very nice phono stage, in this fashion-the only problem I have is having to set the preamp gain to "unity" so the r/l channels match the center in output voltage, since the 565 does not have a unity gain feature. I am contemplating swapping the stock caps with Blackgates, so I might try to hardwire a unity gain path to use with the receiver.
