This is an awesome receiver I've ever had. The quality and the crisp of the way it delivers the high-quality sounds in music and movie. I recommend to pair a nice worth speaker. Don't just use a regular speaker because you cannot appreciate the real sounds of this beast receiver. I paired it a Pansonic BD-MP35 bluray player that is really worth it too compare to other bluray player and I use a Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 for my front and Wharfedale Diamond 6 for my surround and paired by Velodyne CHT subwoofer and Man' I feel I'm inside of the IMAX Theater. I really loved this receiver. Pioneer deserved to make a best receiver. I really recommend this product. Enjoy and have fun, now I'm going back to my mini IMAX theater.

I just bought this reciever last week ($700.00) @ Best Buy. It's THX Select 2 PLUS Certified. I am still figuring most things out. I'm not sure why, but the two channel direct with CDs leaves something to be desired. I previously owned the Rotel Two-channel RA-971 and loved how it made my Paradigm Phantom Towers shine with all CDS I threw at them. I guess the Rotel's amps bring out more with an inferior signal. Most CDs are compressed anyway. However, the Pioneer handles very good signals well with CDs and DVDs plus Bluerays in all of the multi-channel formats such as DPLII and DTS-Music and THX-Music. I'm not sure why this is so. However, I must admit that I do like the multi-channel experince through the various DPLII's and other formats that take a two channel source and put it into DPLII as an example, very rich and warm and great soundfield. I have more exploring to do!!!! I'll post again later!!! Later Spocko!!!