I would go with the umc200 xpa5 combo, lol obviously.. I like my little umc processor it does everything I want it to do, works with out a hiccup and the amp sound great, it all looks really good in my rack and I never have to worry about getting speakers that are hard to run, if I ever want to upgrade Im not tossing my entire system, I can keep my amp and just get a new Pro when they come out with the next HDMI 10.400 cable or Dolby 44X11-9'er, ect... Also I had some bad luck with AVRs, pushing on them gets them hot and most wont like going sub 6ohm... Kind of like an eggs all in one basket feeling when they die on you... Another thing to think about is resale value, if you bought a $1500 AVR today {2013 model} next year when everyone wants 2014's its going to be on sale at newegg or a4l for 60% off and your resale value is trashed, then never mind in 5 years when you want to upgrade, you may as well give it away... With an amplifier, you look on ebay and Emotiva amps from 4 years ago are sellig for what they paid for them {mainly because they went up in price} but it follows suit, I can sell my old xpa5 for $700-800 and thats about what I paid....
So, keep all that in mind, I have used a lot of avrs and processors, I like the umc200, its zone 2 is really easy to use, the room software was simple and did a good job, it programmed rite up with my all in one remote, I can hook all my components to it {keep in mind no analog, but who has that anymore}... And the amplifier has been a champ, that thing is on 15 hours a day in the summer when the kids are home and I smash it when watching movies, and it never even gets warm..
The last thing I will offer is customer support, emotiva answers the phone, try calling onkyo and talking to the same person twice 3 days apart from phone calls, I have Dans number at emo and can call him and talk about a problem if I wanted to, not that I ever had to... I met him and his entire family, I have a ton of their gear and I feel secure buying more.....
AVR's are coming to a point where they are getting price attractive though, recently you could get ioneer 1222k for under $500, and elite sc63 for under $700, denon 3313s and 12s for around 5-600$, marantz 7005's for 70% off msrp, ect...them are attractive prices and cant be ignored, especially since you can get an avr like them with preouts and add an emotiva xpa3 just for your fronts {since honestly 400watts for your surrounds is a huge waste, I can power surrounds with 50w each and keep up with a 600w front stage, they don't get much material and they are normally 2 feet from the listening position...
But anyway good luck, and let us know what you decide...
