Well, the receiver has its own 9(?)-channel amp built-in, so I'm just sending those five channels out to the exterior amp.

But, yeah, took me a while of reading the online manuals and scouring forums to make sure I got a receiver that could do this.

What really sold me on Atmos was just how lovely the musical score is when it's lifted partially toward the ceiling. It just adds a fullness that's so right. And it's hard to explain, but it helps to have the usual surround effects "on the ground" (e.g. a car driving on gravel conveyed by the 5.1 or 7.1 horizontal plane) while the music sits above it. Sounds contradictory, but being able to separate elements like that creates a more cohesive whole.