Back in the dark ages when all we had was stereo and vinyl LPs (I could never afford reel-to-reel) the best advice was to concentrate your money on the ends of the system; speakers and turntable cartridges. I think that advice is partially true today. I advocate finding speakers that fit your taste, room and budget first. If you like your Polks then I suggest you compliment them when considering electronics.

In today's HT arena I think the pre/pro makes a significant difference because of all the processing that is done there. I would rank a pre/pro as my second consideration. As noted before, complicating this choice now is the transition from analog and DVI connections to full implementation of some form of HDMI. If (as you note) a 1080p set and HD-DVD/BluRay player are in your future and you want to use HDMI you may want to wait for things to settle out before buying a pre/pro. The convenience of the HDMI connection and switching at the pre/pro may be worth the wait. HDMI is not necessary for video (DVI works too) but it will be able to handle the new lossless sound formats from Dolby and DTS. The Anthems (AVM30/40/50) are really nice but IMO they were not worth the extra cost over the 990.

Lastly, and down the list, is the amp. Both of the amps you are considering have a solid reputation and would give you many years of service. I'm sure some of the Polk owners in the Saloon can advise you as to the appropriate amount of power for your speakers.

Finally, if you want to move ahead now I can highly recommend the 990 for music. I use the 990's Upsample mode in stereo all the time and it is great. The 990's HT surround modes are no slouch either. Outlaw has a variety of multi-channel amps at various power levels that can meet your specific needs. All the multi-channel amps are made by ATI in Los Angeles and are rock solid. You can't beat Outlaws 30-day trial period. You could find out how they match with your Polks in your home (the best place to try them out) with only shipping cost at risk.

Just my 2 cents....