First Look: AV Receivers

Price: $1,000
Channels/Power: 7x105W
Decoding: DD, DD EX, ProLogic IIx, DTS, DTS-ES Discrete/Matrix/Neo:6/DTS 24/96
Ins and Outs: Two coax and five toslink digital audio, one 7.1-channel analog, two HDMI (spec 1.1), three component video, RS-232, three 12V triggers
Highlights: THX Select2, XM Satellite Radio ready, iPod dock ready, EZSet automated setup and EQ, transcoding of composite and S-Video to component video, multi-source/multi-zone, learning backlit remote

This AVR from Onkyo offers an outrageous bag for its thousand bucks. Seven channels of amplification at 105-watts per, HDMI 1.1 switching, all the usual Dolby and DTS decoding suspects, and it's compatible with Onkyo's iPod control dock and it’s XM-Ready. HDMI 1.1 means that this receiver will switch 1080p video and decode hi-res multichannel PCM from HD DVD and Blu-ray, which puts this AVR in good shape for the immediate HD future, which is kinda here now. Available now.