You guys make some good points. gonk, thanks for the reminder about HD-DVD and Blu-ray players using 7.1 analog outputs (in addition to HDMI). With the DVI-only switching on the 1070 -- and no digital video switching at all on lower end Denons -- having the ability to input a full 7.1 audio signal is important to me.

Also, the 1070's power supply is awesome-looking. It reminds me of a mini nuclear power plant. I think that's a good thing ...

P Holland: As I make these purchasing decisions, I'm trying to strike the best balance (to me) between perceived performance and price, with a bit of aesthetics, convenience and compatibility thrown in, too.

For example, my Pioneer display isn't a $5000 Elite, but it's also not a low end offbrand from CC. To me, it was a great value for the quality. I'm trying to make sure, within reason, that the other parts of my system strike the same balance.

That said, I think I'll go ahead and give the 1070 a shot. There's only so much I can learn about it through research and talking with other owners online. I'm ready to try it out in my (unfinished) HT and see how it sounds to me.