Bigwill, as you know i've had my eye on the Parasound for awhile now. If you get something like the A23 (which i've seen used on Audiogon for as low as $600), i suggest you let it power your main speakers which frees up power from your receiver for the surrounds. The mains are more likely to hit transient peaks than the surrounds and hence are more likely to require a stronger amp source.
The A23 was excellent but you pay for the light show and name.
Another alternative amp that is solid and cheap is the Anthem lineup (MCA). The
previous year model MCA2 is
cheap on audiogon for the power they put out. The
newer versions are a bit more but similar. Often overlooked by newbies looking for a cheap and good quality amp. The only Anthem MCA i see on Audiogon right now is the
5 channel version, but the 2 channel should be about $500 used. Anthem also sells their
PVA amps which have slightly less power than the MCA series so again, they will be priced cheaper.
You can see my thoughts again in this
old post. 
