Amp switcher for 2chnl to HT?

Thanks soooo much. I will search the archives. Now I have to decide if I want to go the simple route (just adding a great 2 chnl amp) or get into the more elaborate set-up. I had mentioned the integrateds because I also didn't want to have to rely on the Pioneer receiver's pre-amp. They are one-box solutions and there are some great ones now. I've heard the Mac6500 as well as the Cayin H80 (with 803s) and they were both amazing. I run old matrix 803s2 in my living room via an old Acurus DIA integrated and it sounds great. Thanks again....Jeff

Of course, upon a little research, it appears that neither of the two integrateds I'm looking at have HT bypass (Mac MA6500 or Cayin H-80a). Will have to keep looking I guess.

Reubent: can I just hire you as my audio consultant and you can come over and fix everything for me, lol!?!?! I can't thank you (and everyone else of course) enough for all the invaluable information. I just got my Nautilus 803's and HTM1 and they sound great even through the 130wpc Pioneer VSX 49tx, but not as good as what I heard through the Cayin at a dealer recently (although through the newer 803S). So I'm really excited to move to the next phase of this project, which is to get that better amp (and maybe a really good outboard dac, oh, and that Cullen Sonos mod, oops, and I forgot about those new B&W DS7 surrounds, and.....the list goes on!!! (oh yeah, maybe I need to try some new cables too, hehehe)
Thanks again everyone...Jeff

Reubent, sorry, but another dumb question. If I use the pre-outs to an unused input in the integrated, am I not (for lack of a better phrase) "double preamping" the signal? Wouldn't that possibly color/alter the sound somewhat, both in two channel mode (signal runs through the rcvr's preamp then to the integrated's preamp then on to the integrated's amp)? Same for movie mode (same scenario) whereby the blending of the HT speakers, especially the front 3, might be affected since there are two different signal paths? I assume this is why they created HT bypass in the first place, no? Thanks again. Jeff

OK, I get it regarding HT, and I'm sure I can live with the compromise, but I still need clarification on 2 channel. If I'm using pre-outs to integrated for 2 channel music, then I'm double processing. Will this have a significant negative impact, or just a minor impact? What I'm getting at here is am I negating the full effect of a great integrated? If yes, am I better off simply putting my money into the best amp within this budget?