I like Sony, but I know they don't make the best of anything. My main HT speakers, except for my center channel, are Sony SSK speakers I bought at clearance prices. Teamed up with the autoeq in my Denon 3805 they sound pretty darn good for cheap speakers. They will easily hold me over until I can afford better speakers. My previous receiver was a Sony also. It lasted me 7 years of service with no problems before I sold it and bought a Denon. My father also has a Sony 55" Grand Wega LCD rear projection TV that is very nice (although not as nice as my Toshiba RP-HDTV). And I have a entry level Sony CD/radio in my work truck that has performed flawlessly since I installed it.
Again, Sony products are not the best in any catagory, but they are not made to be the best. They are made to provide enough quality, reliabilty, and performance to the average consumer, not enthusiasts that are on this board.