What would you do?

[Snake Doctor]

For example, at the lower cost range, the Dayton Audio amp below would be fine for two speakers:
https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-apa102-class-d-stereo-60-wpc-amplifier-auto-on--300-591

But, if you want to spend more and get a more reputable brand, check these out:

Mono:
http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/2200.html

Stereo:
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PAZAMPV3 (I have four of these in my HT rig)
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PAC275V2

If you have money and want to buy a serious amp, while it might be seen as overkill, it is perfectly fine as well. We are all enamored by the MonoPrice Monolith amps.

I really like the PAZAMPV3 and PAC275Vw. How do you have four setup in your HT and those the only amps you have? Does one of them drive your L&R mains, how many speakers do you have? Just curious, I may want to move toward what you are doing with amps.

 

[Snake Doctor]

Take this for what it's worth...

I've matched (speakers and amps) my five "main" channels: F L/C/R and S L/R. While there's a lot going on in the side channels during some movies, it's really because I have a number of 5.1 music discs where there's an equal amount going on in all 5 channels. For the majority of my listening yes the surrounds could use "less" but because I could, I did.

For the "presence" channels (R L/R) I've gone with small bookshelf speakers (Paradigm Titans) and half the power - but I could easily have gone half that again. So 200wpc for the main channels and 50wpc for the presence would be plenty in my case. There's just not a lot of full-range stuff happening back there to warrant more.

I don't have Atmos, but if I did I'd follow the same rule-of-thumb as for the rears, and probably pull a 50wpc NAD stereo amp out of storage to look after it.

Your set-up / listening preferences might dictate different.

Jeff

I am getting an education from you guys. I never considered using multiple amps, evidently a lot of you are doing just that.

 

[Flint]

I really like the PAZAMPV3 and PAC275Vw. How do you have four setup in your HT and those the only amps you have? Does one of them drive your L&R mains, how many speakers do you have? Just curious, I may want to move toward what you are doing with amps.

I have active crossovers. I use the small Parasound amps to drive the tweeters of my three front speakers (3 channels) and the mid-woofers and Tweeters of my rear surround speakers (4 channels). My side surround speakers have mono amps from Audio Source which are no longer available (4 channels). and my stereo mids and woofers use Parasound HCA-1000 mk II amps (4 channels) and my center mid-woofers use a Behringer A500.