[SteveB]

I guess I should have said something about my TV, I have a NEC 42" plasma that's almost 3 years old. I am very happy with my TV and am only looking to improve the sound. My TV is only a monitor so I have to use a cable box and it's hooked up using component cables since that's the only option I have with it and fiber optic for sound. A new TV will have to come along at some time but not in the near future.
I am running an HDMI to DVI cable to the TV from the XA2, if I understand what some of you are saying, running from the HD player to the receiver then to the TV is going to give me a better picture? There would be better upconverting than the XA2 would do? That really confuses me.

Sorry Jerome, but what is PJ?

Sonnie, I currently have Hsu Ventriloquist center and 4 surrounds.I guess it's Hsu's version of HT in a box. The HB series I posted the link to is a larger bookshelf style speaker. I do have a set of old Klipsch speakers that I could use for the fronts. I had them hooked up for a while before I got the Hsu speakers. They over powered the surrounds I had been using. Maybe I should just hook them up and see how that works.

Tony, I do have the 6 cables from the XA2 to the receiver, 5 channels plus sub.

Salvasol, I read this forum and one other every night. I have learned most of what I know from these two sources. It's hard sometimes to weigh what appears to be straight opinion or fact.

Thanks for the input so far. Any speaker or receiver/amp ideas? .I guess I just have a bad case of the 'I wants".