AMD is not the way to go at the moment. They will propably get back later this year, or next year, but Intel is the way to go right now. If you want something that'll last you a while, get a Q6600 or Q6700 (Now when they're down to decent prices), or maybe an E8200/E8400/E8500. They will give you better price/performace than the Phenoms, and they're not as hot either.
No matter if you're used to AMD or not, you've gotta be able to adapt to the market. AMD had their gold age before the Cc2D, with Pentium 4s and Pentium Ds on Intels side, and their supreme Athlon XPs and Athlon 64s on their side. Now, however, Intel has got the upper hand with supreme processors to very competitive prices. AMD tried to get back with the Phenoms, but they just didn't make it. If AMD is able to get out a new, even more effective architecture before Intel, and it proves to be supreme to Intel's opposing generation, then we'll get to look at AMD again.
But for now, Intel is supreme, and the certain way to go.
The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. -
Rod Elliot, ESP