Larger dedicated HT
TDubbs,
For your large dedicated HT also conside the Yamaha RX-V2600 and Denon 3806. Both include plenty of power and features including HDMI. The new UL pre-pro and amp from av123.com are in the same $1k price range. The outboard amp makes this combo stable at >200 Watts into 4 ohm speakers and delivers more power than most mid-fi receivers.
P.S. In the future, try to start a new thread instead of hijacking one.