I have felt for many years (and posted about it repeatedly along the way) that the "everything plus the kitchen sink and turbocharged garbage disposer" approach to surround receivers and processors is detrimental to consumers and smaller manufacturers for a couple of reasons. First, it incorporates a lot of source functionality into a processing/switching device - functionality that is currently very subject to planned or unintended obsolescence, and that can be achieved separately just as easily (and often with better interface and feature sets). Second, it makes an already-difficult product development process significantly more challenging, both in capital expenditures and in overall design quality. That makes it harder for the smaller brands (brands that are more likely to prioritize the consumer's overall experience) to develop new products. It also makes marketing products that forego the "kitchen sink" feature set approach difficult, even though they actually provide a better value to consumers.

I still am pretty comfortable with my Marantz AV7005, although after we finish our renovation this year I am seriously considering replacing it with a Model 975. I may also try a Model 975 while we're moved out of the house. Like renov8r, I still like the idea of a Model 975 "big brother" that leaves off or prunes back many of the same things (no networking, limited analog support) but offers a healthy supply of digital inputs, good audio processing (including some auto setup/room correction goodies would be nice), good analog audio section, and perhaps some good video processing to go with the video switching. If the industry would quit changing HDMI versions, developing something like that would be a lot easier.