Deadline,
I don't buy that crap your hearing about Denon's one bit. If Denon has any problems, it might be that their manual is a bit hard to follow.
Denon makes one of the best AVR's in the industry. The internals and guts they use are top notch, don't buy into that bait and switch crap.
In addition to Denon, there are lots of great brands out there, including Onkyo, HK, Yamaha, and Pioneer Elite, just to name a few.
Just keep asking questions, and we will be glad to steer you in the right direction.
