Good points.

Of course, if you've ever installed a B & K or top of the line Denon receiver it can sometimes be difficult to justify using seperates. My view is that it depends on four things: The customer, the speakers, the room and how much you really want to sell cables. Any one of the four can cause you to sell one over the other.

Do seperates sound better? Yes, assuming the first three criteria represent premiums. The best seperates in the world won't make a difference with lousy speakers, a nightmare room or a deaf customer.

What do I own? A Primare SP31.7 with Acurus amps and Sonus Faber speakers. I wouldn't trade it for any receiver in the world - but I'd take a free one to use in a second system.

Jeff