I heartily recommend the Pioneer Elite VSX-32. $800 retail and can be had for $525 delivered. 110watts, 7.1, 6hdmi. Great performance at a very modest price. Plug 'n play iPod integration. Too many options to mention. This replaces a $5k former HT prepro/amp combo, and frankly I couldn't imagine getting much better performance level for my modest sized room.
Good luck.
Good luck.