The only major difference between these two is the ethernet port, no? Anyone have any thoughts that could convince me that the 906 is worth the extra $400? Accessories4less.com has some pretty stellar deals on Onkyo gear (both new and factory refurbs). I've been wanting a new receiver for some time now. The 876 seems like one hell of a deal at $899 for a refurb.
Did you ever move on this? I too, am looking at a refurb 876 ($839 at eCost!). Looks like a fabulous receiver for a great price. Just curious for your opinion on it, if you bought one.
There's no difference in updates between the 876 and the 906. Both technically need to be sent back to Onkyo. The 906 does have an ethernet jack for streaming audio, but it doesn't do firmware updates over it. Firmware updates are done via the serial port. The firmware files and updater utility are available over on AVS and many have updated their 876/906 by themselves without sending it to Onkyo. You just need a PC with a serial port. However, if you brick it, you may be SOL.
My #1 fear with the 876/906 is upgradability. Totally stupid that they don't support user updates. Even my TV has a USB port for user-applied firmware updates.
