I'm looking to buy a new AVR. I have a 5.1 speaker set-up GM Epic 350. Can you run a 7.1 system with 5.1 in the hopes of maybe adding 2 more speakers later? Not getting two more speakers soon, but want to buy current AVR. Any comments? I'm looking at the Denon 2105.

Welcome Howie!

Sure you can. I'm using an H/K 7200 (which is 7.1) but am only using 5.1 speakers. No prob.

Think of it as planning for the future.

Certainly. When you set up the receiver there will be a place to in the speaker configuration menu to tell your receiver that you don't have rear surround speakers (select "none"). When you add them, you return to the same menu and tell the receiver that you now have rear surrounds, and how many.