Stownel:
Those are some good choices that you have listed above. Check out all of those choices, but for about $550.00 to $1,000.00, I would also check out the Harman/Kardon AVR-510 (I believe now, they are going to discontinue the AVR-510, because they are coming out with an AVR-520). This receiver may be conservative in the power department (in fact, all Harmans are that way), but you will more than make up for that shortcoming with a high current amplifier design, excellent sound quality and a decent feature set. Personally, I have the AVR-210, and had it for about the last six months, and I couldn't be any happier. It has more than enough power for my needs, has a nice set of inputs and outputs (sans component inputs and outputs), and it is well built and it is reasonably priced to boot. It even has outputs for all channels which allows me to add an amplifier if I should get into upgrading later on. Now, whether or not I would use it in a "music only" system is another matter entirely. At this point, I don't need to. I already have an excellent preamplifier (the Adcom GFP-750), so the Harman's outputs is a moot issue at this point. But now, if I want something for home theater or something like that, I couldn't be any happier.
Let us know what you eventually end up with.
--Charles--
Those are some good choices that you have listed above. Check out all of those choices, but for about $550.00 to $1,000.00, I would also check out the Harman/Kardon AVR-510 (I believe now, they are going to discontinue the AVR-510, because they are coming out with an AVR-520). This receiver may be conservative in the power department (in fact, all Harmans are that way), but you will more than make up for that shortcoming with a high current amplifier design, excellent sound quality and a decent feature set. Personally, I have the AVR-210, and had it for about the last six months, and I couldn't be any happier. It has more than enough power for my needs, has a nice set of inputs and outputs (sans component inputs and outputs), and it is well built and it is reasonably priced to boot. It even has outputs for all channels which allows me to add an amplifier if I should get into upgrading later on. Now, whether or not I would use it in a "music only" system is another matter entirely. At this point, I don't need to. I already have an excellent preamplifier (the Adcom GFP-750), so the Harman's outputs is a moot issue at this point. But now, if I want something for home theater or something like that, I couldn't be any happier.
Let us know what you eventually end up with.
--Charles--