<font color='#000000'>I too would prefer the separates route. You may also want to consider the Harman Kardon Signature line of separate pre/pro/tuner and mutli-channel amp. I think you can have them for much less than $2T.
I would invest in a very good set of stereo power amps, three for a 6.1 set-up, as well as speakers. These two can easily outlast all the other components like players and preamps and need not upgraded so often. That way you can always upgrade the preamp/rpocessor or players later on if there are new formats in the scene, or add separate decoders.
On the downside, receivers like most flagship ones from Onkyo and Yamaha, are complex electronic gears where the chances of failure are mulitplied by their number of functions. Personally, I find their AM/Fm tuner sections totally irrelevant in the context of a home theater control center. (But i think they just throw that in as a freebie.) If only so much as one function or feature goes pfft, you had to bring the entire thing to the service center, all that 50lb++ behemoth. And if yuou had to upgrade later on, there's a good likelihood you may have to put that receiver aside to give room to a new one, unless there are pre-outs and main-ins and multi-chanel inputs for new formats in the receiver you are getting now.
On the upside, receivers simplify your HT or audio set-up. Is's an all-in-one control center that can form the heart of your system.
The yamaha RX-Z1 is well reviewed and seems to fit your budget very well at almost $2T from many online stores. I would not pressume to discourage you from your desire to get a receiver in this price range, I just hope to offer options that can fit into it which from my experience, tend to offer more benefits in terms of sonics and flexibility. Just my 2 cents.</font>
