1. No. Yes.

2. Sounds like a mid tier receiver. A higher end receiver is capable of higher peak volumes before distortion. Good newer receivers employ sophisticated setup routines such as Dirac or Arc Genesis and modern sound formats like Dolby Atmos. Good examples are NAD and Anthem products. Denon also offers fantastic products with featuresets packed with value.

Apparently Onkyo now also carries Dirac, but not a fan.

I’d stay away from Sony for AVRs. Toooo basic in terms of setup flexibility.