[doggiehowser]

I used to want a single system for both stereo and HT but if you have the space, having two dedicated systems might work out better.

It is hard to go wrong with M&K speakers for HT. The S300/S150 range is basically what they use in Lucas/Disney/Paramount for engineers to master movie soundtracks.

When used behind an acoustically transparent screen, the sound seamlessly matches to the on screen action and it is all the more immersive. Plus you don't need crazy expensive electronics to get them to work. I've found even a modest Denon 4700H will drive all 9 channels well.

When my friends and I were trying to integrate HT with good stereo, you end up trying to get matching centre and surround speakers that will integrate well with your mains so these would often cost a fair bit more and also require you to invest in similarly priced amplification to match. And may not even offer as well integrated a system as a dedicated one like the M&K

For me, if I were purchasing a new processor/amp combo now, I might wait to see when Anthem will release the HDMI 2.1 boards for the AVM70/MRX1140. This will offer a better match to the 4K120/8K compatibility in your JVC projector.

In the past, we always needed to buy specific discs just to make the most of our 7.1 system. These days, DisneyPlus, HBO Max and Netflix all have Dolby Atmos soundtracks on their latest movies so there is no shortage of material.

For Atmos, I recommend at least 4 overhead channels so you can get the surround effect overhead as well. I'd even take a 5.1.4 over a 7.1.2 any day, especially if you are using one of the M&K S150T/S300T tripoles