Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages welcome to the show that never stops...upgradeitis!!!

In another thread, our own wise Mr. Peabody pointed out that I'm probably selling my system short by using any receiver and I'm willing to entertain this. Up to this point I've been seriously considering the Onkyo 875 or 905 ( http://www.productwiki.com/onkyo-tx-nr905/ ) but I am ever curious and would appreciate some discussion on this.

After some self-observation I have noted the following habits: 60% 2-channel listening, 30% multi-channel SACD, 10% movies...obviously these priorities will have an impact on the decision.

Clearly sound is the preeminent concern but I liked the possibility of video upconversion and integrating a computer into my main setup. The sell points on the Onkyo seem to be the Burr Brown DACs and Realta vid, and while the demos I've seen are impressive I'm also willing to admit that I would rather eschew some bells and whistles in order get the best possible sound quality for the buck.

I also don't have anything against buying used if the right deal came along. My question is, would an old Krell or McIntosh or MacCormack(or whatever) necessarily sound better than the newest and "bestest"? I could understand if this was just a two-channel system but multi-channel is a different beast.

Aesthetics and ease of navigation are also a consideration, as is price. I have other hobbies, a girlfriend, and a variety of money-consuming activities. Please don't suggest any 12k Lexicon behemoths. Ain't gonna happen.

Any comments,suggestions, or shared experiences would be welcome...and (gives evil glare toward Jayra and Bernd) better make sure the unit has a phono stage...

Gracias