A:Answer3 for sure, might even have a 4th, but I didn't buy it for zones, so I'm not 100% on the 4th. I turned off a ton of features I wasn't using.
I run it on Dolby Atmos mode with 9 speakers powered through the receiver and 3 subs with external amps. Front stage is 2 NHT ST4 towers, NHT AC1 center, and 2 NHT SB1 bookshelf speakers for the Atmos speakers.
4 Rear and middle surround speakers are NHT SB3. Subs are 1 self powered Klipsch 12" and 2 15" subs with an external NHT 1000w amp.
I will say my favorite feature has turned to be the dialog enhancer, it boosts vocals in movies to make it so I can hear what is being said in quiet sections without having to tweak the volume.
The app for Android/iphone gives a ton of extra features and makes setup a ton simpler than dealing with on screen and the included remote.
A:AnswerYes it does, but you don't need it. The setup with the YPAO will configure the exact location of all of the speakers and relative volume required. The dialogue appears right above the center channel speaker and is proportional to the TV if the TV is directly above the center.
A:AnswerIt's fully digital with variable roll offs from 6db octave to 24 db octave in 15hz steps. As it also has a 30+ band EQ it uses the YPOA to setup the sound field for the greatest overall presentation with a natural sound and no distortion or frequencies that can damage the speaker.
A:AnswerIt can handle full Atmos, so any lower level Dolby encoder is also included. Atmos, hd, plus, and digital. Also handles DTS and all it's modes currently available.
A:AnswerThey come and go quick, you just have to pay close attention to the best buy website. Then when you see them in stock don't hesitate buy it immediately.
A:Answer150W pc for all 9 channels. If you have 7.1 or 7.2, you can use the extra amplifiers for biamp or bridging if you want more power to your mains but 150Wpc is plenty.