The AV2 is a very good unit used in this configuration - analogue out from something like the Panasonic 9000 (better in my opinion than most of the other options, Oppo 205, 203). If you use the AV2 in pure 7.1 analogue mode and use the 9000 you will have all formats for audio and picture in place. I spent over 15 years trying to better the AV2 for audio, I couldn’t better it when using a Denon 3800 BR player with the latest Arcam processors and that level of unit. I bit the bullet when 4K and ATMOS came and bought £10k+ Acurust ACT 4 to replace the AV2 and 9000 analogue out. After 6m of installed and fully set up Acurus ACT 4 I would question the performance on some older films (VERY DIFFICULT TO A-B. processor when all 10+ cables are different and its many hours to reconfigure)
So I spent a weekend going back to the AV2 and Panny analogue out and preferred it…
I now have replaced the AV2 with 4 naim 32.5 pre amps, that is better and I did carefully A-B !