Reciever went poof

100w per channel minimum doesn't mean much because mfrs don't rate their receivers power all the same. I'm sure your Sony stated it was 105 wpc but in reality it was nowhere close to that, not with 5 speakers being driven. The model up 820 is only rated at 70 watts per channel with 5 channel driven. Sony is notorious for overstating the power in their entry level receivers.

Look at the Denon 1610, 1910, Pioneer VSX-919 or 1019, Onkyo HT-RC160, 607 or 706 on closeout, Marantz 5003.

Take a hard look at the Denon 1910 with its 4 HDMI inputs. It also has Audyssey MultiEQ room calibration software which really helps EQ your listening area. The Marantz has it too.

6ave.com has a Name Your Price deal going right now. You should be able to get the Denon 1910 around $400 or less.
http://www.6ave.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=DENAVR1910

Forget the Pioneers. The 1019 did 29w/channel with 5 channels driven. Sony is the worst of the AVR makers with true power. Their $1000+ AVRs don't hit half the power they claim and the newer models are a joke, less than a 5th of stated.

Denon, Onkyo, Marantz, and H/K are just below (Den, Onk) or exceed (Mar, H/K) their claimed numbers. If power truly means that much, pick up the Yamaha 665 and grab a power amp.

Denon 1910, Onkyo 607, H/K 254 (cheap as it is a little older, Ebay store) and Marantz I couldn't tell you. Look at the ***3 models (last years) as they will be cheaper. Accessories 4 less has refurbs which would be a great option.

As said above forget power ratings, they mean next to nothing. Unless a receiver has been tested which few are just go by the assumption they will all fall short of specs with the exception of possibly HK which are rated lower with all channels driven. You can get a general idea on which brands are closer than others though and that's where Sony ranks among the worst, Pioneer and Yamaha have also dropped in recent models which seems to be a trend with manufacturers easing up on the amp section in favor of features at the price point.

With your criteria and budget I'd recommend the Denon 1910 if you want to go new. If you don't mind refurbished and don't need the current DPL IIz front speaker implementation imo the Onkyo 706 is the best bang for the buck.