I was wondering if anyone can recount their experiences with Sunfire's Ultimate receiver. I have yet to audition one, but dealers love to talk it up. It's quite a piece of eye candy, but can its sound quality live up to its aesthetic beauty?

I know there are a lot of Bob Carver fans out there (and probably more that don't think so highly of him) so an unbiased perspective might be a little difficult to come by. Don't worry, I'll get around to auditioning it myself, I'm just wondering what others have experienced and if they think they're worth the exorbitant price. I'm also looking for suggestions for alternative receivers. I've already checked out the Rotel 1065 & similar products by Yamaha & Pioneer. I'll probably be driving a 5.1 system with Magnepans, but this is left to be determined.