I agree with Arthur. I usually run 14awg just because the price difference is negligible, but 16awg should work as well. The wire from HD or Lowes will work fine.
Well, there are several forums full of anecdotal evidence supporting SVS in addition to LOTS of great reviews. This particular speaker package has less than a handful of very good reviews . . . very possibly by people who are being paid (through sponsorships or otherwise) to do the review...
Most newer receivers are 6.1 or 7.1, but they will work perfectly fine without the additional speakers. Most user reviews I've read of the BIC Acoustech setup is pretty good. There are reviews out there that actually compare them favorably against the Klipsch reference line. I really doubt...