Receiver shopping

[darkmonohue]

<font color='#000000'>I need a receiver for a system of modest budget and demands. &nbsp;The one non-negotiable demand is that it have S-video out. &nbsp;It seems as if the best value is in a 5.1 receiver--I'd narrowed my choice down to the Yamaha HTR-5550 or the Denon AVR-1603. &nbsp;Right now, the receiver would be driving my Cambridge Soundworks Ensemble 3-piece speaker system, but I'll probably be upgrading to some Axiom floorstanding units in the future. &nbsp;Though I watch the occasional DVD, music performance is much more important to me (which is why I'm sticking with old-fashioned stereo rather than surround for now). &nbsp;Any opinions on these two receivers? &nbsp;Or other consderations I should keep in mind? &nbsp;Thanks.

DM</font>

 

[Yamahaluver]

<font color='#0000FF'>You wont go wrong with either, they are both very well made. Sonically, it is a matter of taste. The Denon matches the CSW pretty well while the Yamaha sounds nice with Axioms.</font>

 

[duff]

<font color='#000000'>... and I can vouch for the Axioms sounding great with the Denon, too.  I think you'd be hard pressed to find much of a sonic discrepancy between the two.</font>