Sound quality is NUMERO UNO for me!
*IF* I add speakers in the future, it will most likley be a center and single pair of surrounds. I'm perfectly happy with 5.1, so 7.1 isn't important. I lived with a 7.1 capable Panasonic XR57 for the last 2 years and had no desire to add more speakers to my old 5.1 setup.
I won't be replacing my 2 year old 480P Panasonic 42" plasma for a long time, so I have no need for BluRay DVD (I'm using an Oppo DVD player, which I don't plan on replacing soon).
I have always run my video straight to my display, so I don't need video switching in a receiver.
I have always manually setup my speakers as far as levels, etc, so I don't need that feature.
All I want is the BEST sound quality (natural/warm/dynamic) within my budget, which as you can guess, is very small right now.
So you think this Denon would "sound" the same as other receivers in its price range? I sold the XR57 because it sounded too forward and lacking in bass for my taste. I used it with a pair of Montor Audio B4's followed by a pair of Definitive Tech BP10B's. Should I buy an older, used higher-end Denon receiver that sounds "better" than this entry-level AVR687?