I was given some basic level equipment by my brother as he was stepping up and my B channel on my hand-me-down surround receiver has just gone out. I am not going to buy/build everything at once but I ultimately do want a home projection theater so my receiver purchase I would like to be a wise one. I am notorius for wanting the highest quality of whatever I buy, but I also now want to be smart about it. Based on my research thus far, I am leaning toward the HK 7300 or the Marantz SR 8500, with NAD T773 a close 3rd. My knowledge is limited and I just don't know what the comparitive pros and cons are for these units. OR is it possible that I can get just as good performance value by moving down a notch to, for example, the HK AVR 635 or the comparable Marantz/NAD unit. What am I giving up? I can tell that many of you have infinitely more experience and knowledge and would respect any feedback - I know that personal preferences are always part of the equation. Thanks in advance.