Reading what your dealer said regarding the HTR series simply makes me laugh. Six clicks from the yamaha.com homepage took me to a FAQ which clearly states the HTR and RXV series receivers from Yamaha are functionally identical. Same features, same amplifiers, same remote and built in the same plant. The only difference, according to Yamaha's FAQ, is the front faceplate. I guess the dealer you chatted with must know of some mystical way that gold lettering on the HTR series turns the unit into junk. The dishonesty of many B&M dealers has pushed me to purchase most of my HT components online in the last 2 years. I picked up an HTR-5890 (virtually identical to the RX-V1500 - well, except that it's junk ) from an E-bay retailer for ~ 70% of the cost from B&M in my area. At first I struggled, because I find it important to support local merchants, and to keep my hard earned money in the local economy, but when people are willing to lie, cheat and steal there way into my wallet, I eventually steer clear.