Repectfully disagree that choice of receiver does not make a material difference re sound quality. I've had a bunch and can comment from personal experience. First off, best bang for the buck is the Panasonic SAHE200 - incredible for home theater or two channel music. I had a Harmon Kardon AVR 65, very nice, replaced it with an HK 320. Returned it. Currently have an Onkyo 797 (THX), a Sony STRDB 1070, Pioneer SX850 and Antique Sound Labs MG S1 15DT - do these units sound different? Yes they do. Each of my systems includes Axiom like Michaura speakers (M60 type, M50 type and M22 type) and each has driven Axiom M50s, M22s, and M3s.
Of the receivers you mentioned, I'd get the Outlaw 1050, but for the money, I'd get the Panasonic. Alternatively, I'd consider the Onkyo, Denon, Sony ES - (I'd avoid Pioneer a once great brand), Marantz, Kenwood 6070, didn't like the Sherwood 7090.
Your source is very important to your system's sound quality. My best sounding system is a 2 channel 5 watt per channel tube integrated amp driven by an Ah! Njoe Tjoeb (modified with Ediswan tubes, direkt power kord, Burr Brown OPA 627s) pushing a pair of M66s (similar to the M50s) and a Velodyne 8" sub.
My next favorite source is a Toshiba SD9200 DVD Audio player hooked up with an Onkyo 797. I use an Outlaw ICBM-1 bass management unit between the DVD A player and receiver, stereo subwoofers (Klipsch 1640 watt LF10 and Velodyne CHT100), M60 type fronts, Merak MC6H center with Radio Shack super tweeter, M50 type side surrounds and Mission 77ds back surrounds (driven by an outboard Denon PMA500V amp soon to be replaced by a vintage Kenwood KA9100).
The office system has a Philips SACD 1000 player, a Sony STRDB1070 receiver, another Merak MC6H center, 4 M22 type speakers and a Dahlquist PDQ1500 15" sub.
They're all sweet, all different. For knock your socks off HT power and DVD Audio dazzle, the Onkyo/Toshiba DVDA system, for kicking back and getting lost in sweet, sweet music, the 5 watt tube amp/Ah! CDP combo.
As for speakers, well friends, your Axioms are IMHO the best speakers for the money out there. What you hook them up to matters.
