Newbie amp help......why?

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.

I think that the critical question might be: What is your motivation? Why are you considering taking this perilous step? Is it because you find your current system wanting, or are you reading these threads and letting us get into your head?

Phaelon makes a good point. Upgrading audio systems past the general consumer level is more about the hobby of upgrading audio systems than that of listening to music. Music listening on a system that is aimed at the general consumer vs the audiophile community can be just as rewarding. It sounds like what you have is already giving you the music listening experience for your taste in music. I have met many people over the years who are true music enthusiasts but who listen to systems that they have had since the 70's or 80's, and even then were just general public type systems, and they are completely satisfied. What they discuss is the interpretation of the music by the performer, the songwriting, and so on, rather than the intermodulation distortion of a given amplifier or the jitter of a digital source. Neither approach requires the other and neither is inherantly better. So it really depends on your focus; if your focus is listening to music rather than tweaking the system, it sounds like you are already all set.

How did the issue of whether you might need an amp come up? Did someone else tell you this? Or did you come up with it on your own?

PSB Stratus Golds are decent speakers, and some other A-goner with more experience of them can probably tell you how easy or how difficult they are to drive, and what works well with them.

If you're satisfied with the sound, and someone else is messing with your mind, let it be.

If you yourself have got a hankering for better sound, then the Pioneer is probably the weakest link in the chain, and you have a whole host of possibilities for improvement. One way to go (certainly not the only way), is like I said, if you add, say, a better power amp now (still using the Pioneer as pre-amp), and then, when finances permit, a better pre-amp later (and the eliminate the Pioneer).

If you haven't heard tubes, you should try and do so. Try and find a dealer who stocks Cayin, PrimaLuna, Jolida or some other of the less expensive brands.

Or find a dealer stocking PSB, and see what they drive them with...