I can't condone the hell you've been going through.
Seems like everybody has a favorite. I've had good luck with my Onkyo, and found the Audyssey MultiEQ XT was "helpful". I'm still scarred by previous bouts with Denon manuals, but most normal people seem to be able to work through them. If you're an iPad user, you might like to have AirPlay and/or WiFi. If you don't have a music streaming solution you like, you might be interested in comparing the various network music UI's.
I'll probably be tempted to look for a 9.2 capable model because it exists. I've had good luck with manufacturer refurbs.
I liked it better when - years ago, of course - I could buy new audio toys for $300 instead of $1,000.
