I think you'd have a hard time balancing your sound without similar amplifier power. It's a general recommendation for home theater. With highly efficient speakers, it takes very little power to get up over 100dB. With the T7s, you could get over 100dB with only 35 true clean watts of power.

There are other brands like NAD, Rotel, Cambridge Audio, etc. that put out some really good receivers. Don't get too wrapped up in the watts. Many companies inflate their numbers. I would hit up a couple of audio dealers and sample a number of receivers to see what sounds best to you. Your GET dealer should have some good options. Getting a refurbished device is not a bad way to go either. I picked up an Intrgra 70.2 for under $1000 a few years ago with a two year warranty.

Cheers,

T Cobe

Wesg92, TCobe,
I am not so convinced that you need equal amplification at all for home theater. As a matter of fact, I have had home theaters for many years, that I was happy with, and never even gave a thought to equal amps all around.
My amps vary widely. I reckon the speakers need to be voiced the same, that makes things sound GREAT, thus, GEt all around.
But the amps to run those speakers can be of different types and power levels.
Many of us, perhaps MOST of us, have had to cobble together our systems piece by piece a bit here a bit there. We just do the best we can.
What I do think REALLY helps is to get a Pre-Processor that can run the whole system (decode the different codices), send the best sound to the amps and help them all balance together, and hopefully have some room correction built in to make it play within your room as well as possible too.
You can start with a receiver, then you can add separate amps for say the fronts, and then one day move up to separate pre-processor to run the amps.
That is my suggestion---oh, and keep it simple when you can.
Enjoy the ride,
God Bless,
Wayne

Understood. With the idea of keeping it simple, let's focus on one question. Will the Denon x4000/x4001 power my 7.2 system just fine for now, or will it be stressed too the point of risking damage? If it helps, on my current 7.1 Pioneer VSX-1021 I've never gone above -10db in volume, powering Klipsch F-20s and Quintet 4s.

Wesg92,
It will play and not sound too bad. Can you stretch your budget and get something a "little' better than the Denon, say even a Marantz?
Just a thought, but you will be fine.
Simply, ENJOY!!!!!!
God Bless,
Wayne

Haha, I started with planning on the Marantz 5009, but have been told by numerous people that the Denon x4001 will be better because of the higher wattage and more importantly Audyssey XT32 & SubEQ.

I could maybe stretch for the Marantz 7009 or Denon x5200, but why? I see no benefit. Please enlighten me.

It seems the lesser receiver would be fine and put the saved money toward future amps, am I wrong?

Saying it "won't sound too bad" sure isn't encouraging.

I have two DENON AVR-X4000, one upstairs in my living room, the other in my man-cave basement.
Upstairs: SS3s, SS50c, FF3 sub.
Basement: Triton 1 pair, SCXL, and in ceiling speakers for surround and height. FF4 sub.

Recently I upgraded by adding 3 Emotiva amplifiers XPA-1L to the front three in my basement setup, others run off the X4000.

Originally, I could live with that absolutely no problem, playing upto 75db was too loud!
Adding the amplifiers was more a curiosity. Now when playing quieter volumes with the amplifiers, seem like I am missing less detail, and playing loud is just tighter.

Upstairs, I miss nothing running my setup as is, will not be adding anything else there.

Thanks
Po