In recent years, mainstream manufacturers have taken the approach of packing as many features as possible into their budget receivers which of course, comes at the expense of other important items such as number of channels, number and type of inputs and outputs, power output, quality and size of power supplies and DACs, build quality and other items I cannot think of for the moment. Although, as you say, a big uptick in price, more often than not, the extra expense for the mid-upper tier receiver can allow for more future proofing for extra channels, adding outboard amplifiers and additions etc. that the budget unit usually does not.
Nowadays the problem is just trying to get one.
