Avguide.com says:

Never underestimate the power of a first impression. With a killer instinct for trends, the A/V industry knows that it’s the buttons, lighted dials, and marquee-style displays that net more impulsive creditcard swipes than any red-eye-inducing spec list of power ratings and harmonic distortion numbers. Today’s A/V receivers are such exhibitionists that only the missing set of 22” chrome spinners keeps them from a guest spot on Pimp My Ride. What’s up, then, with the stately and dignified B&K AVR 507 Series 2? While its competitors bristle with a bazillion buttons, the B&K’s sophisticated software has reduced the clutter on its brushed-aluminum front panel to a pair of knobs, a few identical pushbuttons, and a spacious, highly-legible display. This seriously complex (and seriously heavy) seven-channel AVR is loaded to its heatsinks with the features and specs that truly matter…more

Ultimate AV Mag says:

“The world’s most advanced Home Theater Receiver” is Denon’s claim for the AVR-5800, and, now that I’ve spent a few months with it, they’ll get no arguments from me. It’s the world’s first 7.1-channel receiver with DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, DTS-ES Matrix 6.1, DTS Neo:6, THX surround EX, Dolby Digital 5.1, and Dolby Pro Logic. It’s like one of those new cruise ships that more closely resembles a floating city. What Denon has managed to pack into its large, sleek, heavy black hull (at 62 lbs, it’s the most massive I’ve seen) is remarkable in terms of both versatility and performance. Denon’s marketing manager, David Birch-Jones, proclaims the AVR-5800 to be “Without question the finest A/V receiver ever created.” But are “most advanced” and “finest” necessarily the same thing? We’ll have to dig deeper to find out…more

Pioneer says:

The LX70 completes your high definition home network. With built-in Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, you are guaranteed pure, “lossless” quality audio.

The LX70 has been fine-tuned to AIR Studios standards: a hallmark for flawless reproduction of sound It is also THX Select2-certified, meaning that you can expect the best possible sound reproduction using 7 channels, whether you’re watching, listening or playing.

Inside, the power amplifier features bipolar transistors with built-in temperature-compensating circuitry and a sophisticated architecture that ensures each channel always has highly dynamic and distortion-free output.

Expand your home network
The LX70 is DLNA-certified, which means that you can hook it up to your home network, for direct access to all our music files stored on your PC, for example. Amplify your favourite internet radio stations, too. You can also connect your iPod or USB memory stick and enjoy your digital content in your living room…more

Cnet says:

Pioneer’s flagship VSX-59TXi is the world’s first A/V Receiver to offer playback capability of Windows Media Audio 9- Professional encoded media making multi-channel streaming, recorded, and even packaged PC audio in the living room, on the “big system”, a reality today! Dual i.LINK digital interfaces provide easy “FireWire” connectivity of multi-channel DVD-A, SACD, as well as other multi-channel digital audio signal transmissions between a DVD player and the receiver. The benefit: unmatched multi-channel audio processing, using ONE wire. The VSX-59TXi meets LucasFilm’s THX -Ultra2 requirements for audio playback of all multi-channel movie and music formats including DVD-Audio and SACD; as well as processing of all wide-bandwidth video signals…more

MCM says:

Six Zone Distributed Audio Receiver
The M-64 Multi–zone Receiver utilizes 12 independent amplifier channels to distribute audio to six stereo zones. Each zone may independently select from up to four separate sources (including internal AM/FM tuner), and selection may be done either on the front panel, or via remote mounted keypad controllers. Multiple M-64 receivers may be cascaded to allow additional zones.

Source Inputs
The M-64 has RCA audio inputs for connecting three external source components. In addition to the built-in AM/FM Tuner, three source components can be individually selected by each of the six zones. Additionally, each zone can be set to an individual volume level..more

Drawing on years of experience in designing and manufacturing A/V receivers that rival – and in some cases exceed – the performance of separate components, Marantz is proud to offer the SR3001 Surround Sound Receiver.

Behind its aluminum front panel, the SR3001 produces plenty of useable power – a full 60 watts/channel. They’re not just “paper watts” either. Instead, the SR3001 begins with a fully realized power supply and an output section that delivers this power under almost any conditions. This means that the SR3001 will drive your speakers and provide Marantz-level authority and delicacy with any source…more

Ultimate AV Mag says:

That challenge is extended not only in features and performance, but in size as well. Many of these new behemoths equal the sheer bulk of more than a few preamplifier-processor and amplifier combinations. While specialist manufacturers can still make a good case that their separates maintain an edge in sound quality, the gap separating them from the best receivers is not nearly as big as it was in the early days of the still-young home theater market. And when you factor in features, the race is even closer. With their vast resources, the big consumer-electronics manufacturers are often the first to incorporate cutting-edge developments—often as much as a year ahead of smaller, specialist companies…more

Best Buy says:

Product Features

* Multisource and multizone capabilities
Allow you to select different audio sources for enjoyment in different locations; create up to 3 independent audio zones/sources
* Satellite radio-ready
SIRIUS or XM Radio subscription, tuner and antenna are required (not included).
* Network reciever capabilities
Allow you to listen to internet radio or download music using Rhapsody. Control the device via a PC or PDA web.
* Front panel display
For browsing Apple® iPod® content.
* Multiple surround sound decoders built in. Learn more about surround sound home theater.
* Surround sound decoders
Include Dolby Digital, Pro Logi..more

Cnet says:

Audiovisual receivers act as the control center of a home theater, and over the past few years they’ve become increasingly complicated, adding features such as video switching, HDMI upconversion, and even media streaming to the standard task of amplification. Sony’s ES line of receivers have been on the cutting edge lately, and the company’s two new receivers–the STR-DA5400ES and STR-DA6400ES–both add the capability to stream HD video to a second room over a category 5e (Ethernet) connection. In addition, STR-DA6400ES will also offer up more traditional media capabilities, including streaming media from DLNA-compatible devices as well as access to the Rhapsody streaming music service. Sony hasn’t released a full specification sheet on either receiver yet, but let’s take a quick look at what we know so far…more

Cnet says:

This is one of the world’s first receivers to meet LucasFilm’s exceptionally rigorous THX-Ultra2 requirements, ensuring optimal playback of all multi-channel and movie formats. To simplify system setup, the Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration Circuit (MCACC) adjusts output based on its evaluation of your media room’s environment, even the capabilities of your speakers. The VSX-47TX also features professional-level processors for high-octane audio in movies and music. And, Pioneer’s Direct Energy Super MOSFET circuit delivers 160 Watts of power (at 6 ohms) equally to all channels, for exceptionally realistic surround sound reproduction…more