Bite your tongue!
Ok actually, the thought has crossed my mind once or twice over the last year or so. But you see the trouble is I just can't find a quality 9.1 channel reciever anywhere in it's price range. And much like your first move to a 1000cc motorcycle (after riding 600's), or dating your first perfect 10 girlfriend (up from your previous 6 or 7 star sweethearts), it's hard to go back to something 'lesser' in hi-fi audio as well.
I know that the rear 4 speakers are actually only 2 channels split into 4 outputs and there isn't any difference in what is coming out of them. But I simply haven't heard a Home Theater system sound anywhere near as good as the set-up I had, and I was using very middle of the road speakers in that rig. I can't even imagine how good the Axioms will sound in that format.
I'll stick it out with the 4802 until I can afford the AVP-A1HDCI and the POA-A1HDCI (looking at around $12,000 for the pair if I dig deep for good deals). I mean I'm still feeling burned over this recent leap in technology after waiting it out for years and years and then finally purchasing my current Denon. At the time I figured this reciever would more than adequately provide me with all of the bells and whistles I could ever want for at least 10 to 15 years before I'd need to think about upgrading. But this has taught me that you simply can't get ahead of technology. Who know's what's around the corner, in two years every reciever on the market today may be obsolete for all we know.
HDMI looks to be what everyone has settled on as the wave of the future as far as audio/video connections go. But there is still room for tweeking it. I'm willing to stick it out a few more years with this dinosaur before I purchase my next center piece in my HTC. It won't be bullet proof either, my next reciever could very well be the last of it's kind before the 'next generation' is unleashed upon us all. But that's the chance I'll have to take if I'm going to play this game.
It's a sick addiction. But much like my other money sucking toy, the heavily modified ZX-10R sitting out in my garage, in order to keep up with the cutting edge of motorcycling technology you pretty much have to buy a new bike every 2 years. But I generally keep mine for 6 to 8 years and keep them as current as I can my upgrading whatever part becomes obsolete when the next best thing arrives on the scene. Then when I just can't stand it any longer I'll buy a new one and start back at ground zero again.
The similarities between these two obsessions are striking. I'm not sure which hobby I get more enjoyment out of. They both like to gouge my pocketbook. Maybe I shoud have just stuck with golf!
