I currently have an old Marantz SR7000 receiver, being used as a pre for my 5-channel Marantz amp. I have truly enjoyed this musical combination for many years. But now it's time for a change. I have been looking at receivers/pre's -- I must have HDMI or DVI switching, I'd really like to have upscaling, and it would be nice to have a USB port and XM capability. On the fringe...good EQ/room correction is a plus.
My budget, I might add, is not as good as I'd like, seeing that I have upgraded my speakers, display, and DVD player in the last year.
So here's the deal....I have been looking at the Outlaw 990, the Outlaw 970, the Yammy 2600, and -- most recently, with great salivation -- the Pioneer 84TXSi. The Pioneer unit seems perfect-- but am I really ready to drop $1500 on a receiver, during what seems to be a time of great change in receiver technology? And now here comes the Pioneer VSX-1016, which, for $500, has almost everything I want except upscaling. Does it not make sense to go with the cost-effective measure until the dust settles? Will the dust ever settle?
Comments welcome.
And..does anyone know when the 1016 will actually be in stores in the US?
Thanks.