I blew up my Onkyo 602 so I had to go get a new A/V receiver. I first got an Onkyo 606. I liked it except for lousy GUI, spring clips on zone 2 and poor up-converting of video.
None was a deal breaker but I took it back and exchanged it for a Harmon Kardon AVR 254. Superb GUI, great up-converting even though color seems a bit saturated now, No pass through of video though which means everything gets converted.

It does not seem as powerful as the Onkyo but it is just as loud albeit cranked to 70 on a scale to 100. Onkyo would have been at 55. Sound is very clear and spacious.
The HK has an archaic way of of updating firmware. An absolute must from the onset. They use a RS232 serial port. Fortunately I actually had the necessary cable and usb adapter at home.
I give more details when my Mirage Nanaosats show up this week and I compare them to the Polk R20/R15s i use now.