Newbie amp help......why?

ok i kinda understand. i will look to see if it has pre amp outputs. so if i added a amp thats 100wpc it would actually be less power to thje speakers than the regular amp in the pioneer. i was thinking the golds may need more power to run them accurately....is this true? thanks for the replies kevin

Taking it one step further, call around and find a dealer who carries 2 or 3 brands of tube amplifier, and go listen to those. For many people, a tube amp will provide sonics that much more closely resemble live instruments. As others have said, it's not about volume. There are different types of distortion, and tube amps tend to perform in a way that its distortions bother the ear less than the most solid state amps. This is true regardless of how many boxes you are talking about(e.g. receiver vs. amp/pre/tuner separates).
If you don't hear anything that makes your heart beat a little quicker, save your money and buy more music. Cheers,
Spencer

IMO..if your music is acceptable stop right there..its like chasing the audio crack pipe around the room trying to find audio nirvana..the more ya spend ,the more ya spend

Be afraid... be very afraid... one false step here and you'll have fallen into the abyss of audiofoolishness, from which, few ever return.

Sure... it's just a thought about adding an amp, or more subtley, just a harmless question regarding amps. Before you know it, you'll have a new Mercedes sitting in front of your couch! ;-)

Loudness isn't the only reason folks seek out additional, or replacement amplification.

Refinements,quality, both sonically and in regard to the overall builde, are also notes why going to an outboard amp is a valid endeavor. Chiefly, it's the sound though.

80% of the music (perhaps more), is made in the first 20 watts.... consequently, adding an amp 'just for watts sake', isn't usually the best path to follow as it seldom relates to sonic improvement.

Adding any 'this or that' item to a "what ever" product (outside of a pure replacement part) is generally intended to increase performance. In the case of audio, the performance increase is determined 'subjectively' by the sound it makes after the change/addition.

Louder is easy... better is not so easy.

Many separate amps however, will surpass the performance level of those within a receiver handily.

The hobby is fun, but Blindjim gives fair warning. Tread carefully, but there certainly is better sound quality ahead of you, but you can waste a lot of money without a good dealer, experienced friends, or a judicious assessment of recommendations you get on Audiogon. Remember, you can 90% "there" for 20% of the price - if you know what I mean. $$$ doesn't always mean best sound. More important is the system and how the parts play together. It makes sense to hear some very highend stuff to get a sense of what is possible and decide how much of that you want and/or need.