Have to disagree with the "sound difference" between receiver types. I have purchased around 10 yamahas in the last 5 years and around 7 marantz. On music the yamaha's are brighter. I wanted to like them better than the marantz because I think they are better for ht, but the two channel starts to hurt.
My friend worked at good guys and frys, we would oftern a/b the avrs on two channel, the difference is there.
I do think that the average guy will not notice a difference on low end speakers, especially in ht.
On the marantz remote, you can change the aux1 to "cable" not the button of course.