Receivers are sort of the thankless workhorses of the AV world. They aren't glamorous like an HDTV or cool like a pair of speakers. If your home theater was a rock band, the receiver would be the drummer (the sub would be the bassist of course . . .) But there's still plenty to love about these big metal boxes since they keep things humming so we can sit back and enjoy some entertainment. Now, on to #1 . . .