What are you more interested in, home theater or music? The a/v receivers that excel in HT applications are yamaha and denon. I would recommend the Harman Kardon receivers like the older models like the 2550, 3550, or the newer models like HK 130 since they are "warm" sounding and very musical, which is useful if you are planning on listening to CDs, SACDs, DVD-As, or even using it to listen to concert DVDs.
Another factor that would determine which a/v receiver that you would get is your speakers. What brand and type (floorstanding or bookshelf) are your main/front speakers or which brands or types do you intend to get? It is important that your speaker matches with your receiver.
For more details about Harman Kardon receivers or denon, you may contact Nico or Epoy of Architectural Audio at 811-6715. They are located in New World Hotel. And I did not get any comission(s) for recommending them.