I'm aware of high performance amps too. I value music much more than driving. I'd buy a cheap and reliable used car and a brand new amp before the alternative and still be way ahead and not owe the bank any money. Hanging around here with you folks, I almost did exactly that. Well, I did buy a used truck, but that left me with thousands to spend on audio and I did owe the global economy some input. But once I started seeing what a bunch of you were using for audio, I looked further inside the venerable AVR.
Then a friend gave me a Denon 3805. I had nothing to lose. He seemed to take it kind of for granted. It had been stashed in a closet in it's original box for 5 years or so before I got it. After a few months of listening to it, another just like it came up for sale locally for $75 so I snagged that one too! Then I found a review Audioholics did on it in the way back machine. They seemed pretty impressed by it.
The human ear, as far as I know, has not evolved in the 10+ years or so since these things were developed in which to exceed it's audible capabilities. That's been true for a number of years or decades even. As long as they live close to their stated values, and even if they don't in as many instances.
On the upside, now I am not worried so much if someone breaks in my home. They have to take their chances getting popped over a used, $75 AVR, instead of a $5k amp, and then they have to lug the beasts with them which becomes more like a job and kind of earn it.
