The sounds should come directly from the image box so you remain aware of the treachery of the image.
Audio gear is remarkably wasteful, because of terrible design decisions.
A classic stereo amplifier from 1975 or 1980 will still provide useful service and is often highly repairable (service docs, equivalent parts available).
When they added video functionality, it became a disposable timebomb. Nobody wants a pre-HDMI AVR, or one that doesn't support this week's HDMI and spatial audio formats. Meanwhile, the newer features add huge complexity and custom parts, and often awful user interfaces dependent on a remote or even connection to a TV to use fully, so they're poor choices even if you just want to use them for stereo audio.
On the other hand, if you want to fight with it, I'm pretty sure that if you built an empty Goodwill 500km from human contact, inside of a week, three probably-functional but obsolete Sony, Pioneer, or RCA AVRs would spontaneously appear. They're freaking everywhere.
In my personal opinion, the best way to enjoy sound is through earphones or headphones. Even cheap IEMs are pretty decent these days. Like I can get good ones for less than 2k INR. I always watch movies at home for this reason. Movie theatre sound setup sounds really bad.
The best way to enjoy sound is by listening to rocks smacking together in person. Chanting is fine too, as long as you acknowledge the sun god
I feel you because I also love my headphones. However, you've probably never listened to music in a room designed for music with speakers designed for music. It's really something to behold. Unfortunately you have to also be rich
Actually being in the room with the band or orchestra is the best way IMO. Never experienced a sound system that can replicate the way you feel the music with your body as well as hearing it.
I bought my surround sound gear at the thrift shop 15 years ago. You will never stop me from leeching off bourgeois decadence!
