As with the tradition of all Yamaha A/V receivers I have had the pleasure of reviewing, the RX-V4600 lives up to the Yamaha name. Its feature packed, excellent processing capabilities stand out at this price point. Its improved amplifier performance over the RX-V2500 ( see test results ), particularly when driving low impedance loads, opens it up to a bigger loudspeaker market while also making it somewhat more predictable sounding when driving the tougher loads. While there were some items I would have liked to see improvements on, they certainly didn't take away from the quality, value and enjoyment of this product. Whether used as a dedicated pre/pro or a full-fledged receiver, the RX-V4600 will likely satisfy the needs of all but the most elaborate home theater installations. As with all prior Yamaha receivers I have reviewed, their forte is truly home theater, but this doesn't imply slouch performance for music. On the contrary, its arsenal of processing features to enhance music (ie. CSII, PLIIx, etc), i.LINK for high resolution formats such as DVD-A/SACD, and its improved amplifier performance makes it right at home for your music needs. It's always a difficult task to pack up a Yamaha receiver after my review is over and I almost always miss the Presence channels for use with cinematic and concert movies. The RX-V4600 is certainly no exception in this instance. Until then, I leave my extra speakers in place and an open theater chair for their next round.