For quality of construction, sonic abilities and performance, they would grade as such:
1) Rotel and NAD 2) Denon 3)Yamaha
Ranking them in terms of 'musically" performance may not suggest which manufacturer is the best "HT" piece. You mentioned HT, and if that is your realm, the Rotel model RSX 972 and NAD T751 are the best models listed. They have slightly different output ratings, but either should dirve a larger pair of Axioms very nicely.
You could also look at other models, but that may confuse the issue. There are upscale models that may fall into your price range, as you have a good budget to work with.
Regards,
BBIBH
