I'm a little late to the party, but why are you guys recommending a receiver if he wants a 2-channel setup?
And do you really think a front-firing sub versus a down-firing sub matters with regard to neighbors? Bass is bass. It's annoying to neighbors no matter which way it's directed. If you want 2-channel, get a nice sealed, musical sub (Martin Logan, Velodyne, REL, etc...SVS is nice, but music and 2-channel is not their strength!).
My .02, you have gotten bad advice. Figure out what you want (HT v. 2 channel) and buy used sh*t...no receivers from Crutchfeild, IMO.
Sorry if I missed some info in this 5-page post, but come on guys!