Has anyone asked if you really need IEEE 1394 and USB at this point? It could be argued that you are paying money for something that may not be needed. Sure, the 1394 is a great idea, sending multichannel audio digitally to the receiver/prepro is a convenience (less wires) but may not offer an increase in performance. My Denon 5900 has better DAC's than most pre/pros or receivers, so why wouldn't I just use the Denon? The Denon has a 1394 output (one of the very few) but why would I want to send digital information to inferior DAC's in most Pre/Pro/Receivers. See the point? Plus, I believe you cannot send multichannel SACD via 1394, so you gonna need analog outs to take advantage of this format. The auto calibration feature is a nice idea since most of us have problems with our rooms. But this is still DSP, and for the purists out there, one more thing in the signal path. Perhaps the same results could be achieved by concentrating on speaker placement or minimizing room interactions. I also have a problem with buying a receiver and them buying an amp. Seems overly redundant because now I have half of my receiver that is completely useless (the amp section). This probably comprises a big chunk of the cost of the receiver....why buy it if you are not going to use it. Seems like a waste.

[This message has been edited by harp795 (edited June 03, 2004).]