I'm not a big Sony fan either, mostly because of the crappy Sony "Virtual Surround Sound" receiver I once owned. It had virtually no bass output, even with the bass on max. Plus they killed HD-DVD which in my opinion was better for consumers :p
We're still stuck in the ice age here. There's still an awful lot of snow left on the ground for the first day of Spring. The thaw hasn't really started yet.
Here's an alternative to the Q9450: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=28849&vpn=BX80569X3350&manufacture=Intel&promoid=1065
Probably a little better too.
Yes the PS3 will be compatible with the BD 2.0 spec, but all current standalone players will not be. The PS3 cannot output some of the higher end audio formats though, so it may not be the choice for true audiophiles.