Suggestions for replacement for my old Nuforce AVP-18 surround sound processor

Auxinput
Funny you should mention Emotiva as my initial thoughts were that the AVP18 was just a recased Emotiva as the menus are EXACTLY the same as found in Emotiva processors( I owned two previously!)

Also the Outlaw 976... one for sale right here right now at $699......

Yes I get the slimline is mostly because there is nothing much in the AVP18....lol
But the Marantz just is too big and I have not checked but it might not even fit in my rack where the AVP18 lives right now.

$4500 is way out of budget, especially for something that is still working quite fine atm. 

The Outlaw 976 actually shoots higher than the price, in my opinion.  It uses linear power supply.  Has very good op amp circuits and LOTS of localized power supply capacitors surrounding the opamps.  The XLR output stage is fully balanced/differential.  It has a pretty good fullness of sound and the audio actually sounds very natural.  It doesn't have the best high frequency response and the bass is not the strongest, but it's probably close to the sound quality of a Marantz AV7703 in my opinion.  The Marantz has this thing beat, though, because Marantz has much better power supply and audio circuits.

I actually completely rebuilt a 976 for a friend, upgrading critical op amps for left/center/right/sub as well as completely re-capping the entire audio boards.   Replaced all op amps on the XLR output board as well.  Probably about 140 total parts.

It is engineered to be a low price product and it shows with the user interface.  It's cumbersome because it blanks out the screen completely for a couple seconds when you go into the menu.  I think it treats the "menu" as a different source.  The menu does not overlay the current video like most other processors.  But it is functional and it works.  Has a fully parametric EQ - you can dial in exact frequencies.  No automatic room correction (if that matters to you).

Hey Uber 
  As you have discovered the processor market isn’t that extensive.  You might do better buying an AVR and not using the Amp section if you don’t need it.  I recommend Anthem, because their room correction is truly immersive

www.accessories4less.com

AV7703 or AV7705 depending on how much you want to spend.  I have the AV7705 in my main system.

In some ways, the best bet can be an atmos cheapie receiver, that has preamp outputs. And the amps having inputs, of course. But,. of course, the whole atmos thing is just an attempt to stay alive and get you to buy new again..well..again. and again.

To look at surround sound, as a business, it makes the merry-go-round of stereo audio, look like a bunch of incompetent pikers. the kind of pikers who can't get their buyers to constantly buy new. There are so many dang surround components being thrown and tossed, just to get to the new unsupported no software format, it makes stereo audio upgradeitis look like child's play and level headed sanity.

To buy a new processor for a bunch of movies that are not here, in a market that is trying to eliminate physical media and the reason to have atmos outside of actual theaters. Theaters which are dying off.

So, to not play the game so much, go for a cheapie atmos unit that has preamp outs and add that in..purely for the preamp function. Just the way I would go. Seperate amps, upgrade the processors, by buying the best mid to low cost receiver that has preamp outputs.