Marantz acting up; help me choose a processor

[PENG]

I've found most people who have listened to their gear for a while won't like the EQ'ed sound at first. I didn't, but left it like that and gave it a chance. It DOES sound smooth and clean but that doesn't mean I need to prefer it OR use it.

I've been pretty happy with the UMC-200 so far, but it isn't perfect; nothing is.

You can count me in as one of those people. I only started using Audyssey for 2 channel music listening recently. It has certainly taken a long time for me to consider the possibility that "Pure direct" may be pure and direct but not necessarily always better to my ears and brains.