Re: Can't decide which direction to go, looking for advice.
What is your max budget? I assume this is an apartment.
A pair of 340's is not a bad start. For movies you will want a center and subwoofer as budget allows.
As for an AVR: Take a look at Accessories4less. They sell factory certified refurbished Denon models. I have the X1000 I picked up last year. See what "X" models they are offering as refurbished and choose one which meets your needs. I have purchased several items from them over the years without issue, though experiences differ.
Ed
* Sierra-2EX's W/V2 crossover upgrade
* (2) Rythmik F12's
* Parasound Halo P6
* Audio by Van Alstine DVA-M225 Monoblock Amps
* MiniDSP 2x4HD For Sub calibration
*World's Best Cables Canare 4S11 speaker cables