Re: Hi from Canada
hey venom, welcome!
i have a 340SE/170SE setup and am extremely pleased with it. i don't know much about current denon receivers, but when i bought my yamaha a few years back, it was often compared to denons and i believe they are still fairly even when it comes to performance and features. that said, the yamaha has done extremely well for me over the years as i've gradually improved my system, and i'm sure this denon will be a great first step. i recently bought a separate amp for my system, but i still use the yamaha as a processor, and its internal amp did a great job driving the ascends before i upgraded. starting out with a low budget sound system, i definitely think a receiver like the denon you're looking at or a yamaha of similar specs is a good way to go. don't know anything about the energy sub, but i think you'll be quite happy with your new setup. good luck, and make sure to post your impressions of your new setup once you're up and running.
CMT-340SE2 Mains & Center, CBM-170SE Surrounds, Rythmik F15, Emotiva XMC-1, Emotiva XPA-5