The Pioneer VSX-1015TX
I didn't do as much research into the purchase of the receiver. The initial package I was looking at bundled in a Denon AVR-2105 @ $899.99. It was well-reviewed on-line, but a quick comparison of its features to those of the Pioneer VSX-1015TX, the glowing reviews of the Pio on the AVS forum and a price difference of hundreds of dollars made me opt for the Pioneer (after bundling and negotiating at Future Shop it was less than half the price of the Denon).
I haven't regretted the choice so far. The MCACC (Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration) set-up was a breeze for a simpleton like me and it sounds great. The 1015TX comes with a microphone which you position at ear level in your viewing area, click a few menu items and the calibration is done for you in a matter of minutes.
I'm running a 5.1 surround sound set-up. I purchased a bunch of banana plugs and attached them to the speaker wires I had the pro's rough-in and this greatly simplified the hook-up process. While lacking the capability to switch digital HDMI/DVI signals, this unit has all the inputs/outputs I need, and I'm happy with the component video and the audio coming out of it. The audio and video from both my DVD player and High-Def PVR are hooked up to the receiver and I use it to switch the component video out over 4 metres of Monster Cable up to the Panasonic plasma. I think I have one digital audio output left which I plan to utilize someday to run up to the Panny, in case I want to use it's speakers while watching a DVD.
Speakers
I had professionals install 5 ceiling-mounted speakers and sub-woofer as the first step in building my home theatre. I was originally quoted a price for 5 Sonance S623TR speakers and when I started negotiating their price, I may have fell victim to a bait and switch tactic. I ended up with 5 less expensive Sonance S622TR's, which still sound good to my untrained ear. Both the woofer assembly and the tweeter of these speakers pivot so you can direct the sound at your viewing area. Hopefully, I didn't go too far wrong there.
I went with the pro's recommendation of a Paradigm PDR-10 Powered sub. Again, I didn't do a lot of research here, and so far, the unit sounds good to me. (It really felt like the Polar Express was rolling through my family room). It was interesting to note that the installers originally installed the smaller and less expensive PDR8. If I hadn't of checked the model number, I'm guessing I would have paid for the 10" but would have received the 8".