AVR Crossroads - repair or replace? (and other related Q's)

My Onkyo TX-NR807 has recently fallen to the dreaded (and apparently all too common) busted HDMI board. Fortunately, I have been able to arrange for out of warranty repair from Onkyo. However, this has brought me to a certain crossroads with my home theater setup. I am extremely frustrated with the quality and longevity of my recent AVRs. I previously owned an HK in the early 2000s that lasted only a couple of years, followed by an Onkyo 805 that only lasted two years, followed by this recent 807 problem after 3 years.

Essentially, I'd like to get some advice on where to go from here. I've been considering replacing the 807 with such receivers as the Marantz SR7007, NAD T 757, Pioneer Elite SC-68, Anthem MRX 700, Yamaha RX-A3020, etc. Basically something in the $1500-2500 range. Thought being better performance and better longevity/quality. I will not buy another Onkyo/Integra product.

My modest speaker system is made up of Athena AS-F2's (front), AS-C1 (center), AS-B2's (surround), and AS-IW6's (surround back). Subwoofer is an HSU Research VTF3 MKII. Main usage is home theater/video games. I'm pretty happy with music performance although the system doesn't have as much "punch" as I would like (dynamic range??).

Thanks for helping a novice out!

Questions:

(1) Will I hear a noticeable performance increase going to a AVR in the $1500-2500 range, given my speaker system? Or should I stick with the 807 (until it breaks again, and stay in that "class" of AVR)?

(2) The AS-F2's are rated to handle 250W of power. Is it possible to connect all other speakers to the 807's speaker terminals, and use its pre-outs to connect a higher powered amp to power the AS-F2s? If so, would this perhaps increase performance?

(3) Would it be beneficial to go to separates for the entire system? What kind of price tag would that come with for a 7 speaker system (of course looking for increased performance from what I've got)?

Thanks again!

Thanks for the response, XStanleyX.

I'm going to have to upgrade the receiver sometime relatively soon as I'm looking at getting a new HDTV (with 3D), so I will need an AVR that is 3D capable. Am I better off staying in the same class of receiver as the 807 or stepping up to those I've mentioned?

Thanks again.

Sounds like I should stay put until it comes to TV upgrade time and a new AVR will follow. I'm looking ahead to not just 3D BD, but also the next Xbox/Ps4, and 3D offerings from DirecTV.

Can you (or someone else) comment on the power handling issue? The 807 is rated at 135 watts for 2 channels driven. In an upgrade should I be looking for more power? Like I said, the F2's are rated at nearly twice that. I guess I just don't really fully get the relationship between speaker power handling and what the amp can push in relation to overall performance...

It's about 30 feet wide and about 15 feet deep (great room). The listening area is at one end of the great room, facing the depth, not width. So to the left of the listening area is a good 20 feet of open space (dining area and open kitchen).

Thanks for all your help!