Sony STR-K7000 looking to upgrade if deemed worth it

Solution
If your aim is to add HDMI switching and lossless surround sound codecs such as Dolby TrueHD then a new receiver makes sense. In your price range Onkyo would be a good choice.
If you aim is to improve the sound quality then new speakers (particularly the front three and subwoofer) would probably get you a bigger improvement than the receiver. The rear speakers don't contribute that much to the overall sound quality so you could leave them last. A better subwoofer would make sense if the bass quality or quantity are not to your liking. The front three should be matching so you usually try to do them at the same time.
If your aim is to add HDMI switching and lossless surround sound codecs such as Dolby TrueHD then a new receiver makes sense. In your price range Onkyo would be a good choice.
If you aim is to improve the sound quality then new speakers (particularly the front three and subwoofer) would probably get you a bigger improvement than the receiver. The rear speakers don't contribute that much to the overall sound quality so you could leave them last. A better subwoofer would make sense if the bass quality or quantity are not to your liking. The front three should be matching so you usually try to do them at the same time.
 
Solution