Pioneer Elite vsx-14 enough for hdi-3800? Alternatives?

Google "Yamaha R-N800A", it should do your JBL well for your budget.

Thanks @deep_333 I'm looking into it! What would you say the strength of the R-N800A is?

It is a dedicated conservatively rated stereo all in one solution (integrated amp + streaming dac) that can deliver greater than 200W/channel Class AB into your speaker with enough current. The DAC implementation is good and Yamaha's Musiccast streaming features are glitch free/fairly robust (it has been around for a minute to get all kinks ironed out). To summarize, It should be a good step up sonically for 2 channel use than your older Pioneer multichannel receiver and good value for a modest budget of ~$1000.

I even have them close to a wall so I expected to be working against it being overpowering.

Is there something else I am possibly doing wrong or are my expectations for these speakers just off?

Several things to ponder...

1. Cabinet size  2. Sensitivity 3. Bass extension/impact....pick 2 (can’t have all 3)

Further, you are most probably sitting right on top of a couple of modal nulls (especially widthwise). So, even if it produced some bass, you didn't hear it. Get a subwoofer... if correctly placed/integrated, it will fix the nulls and provide the bass extension/impact that the speaker sacrificed for sensitivity and a non-refrigerator sized higher WAF cabinet.

P.S.  Older multichannel receivers never have the poweramp sections for good bass. There is also a chance that a failing dcomponent can kill the bass.

The following is a legit thing that can happen in aging amps/receivers. It will appear to work fine otherwise.

Bass issue

@deep_333 This is interesting. I assumed as cabinet size goes up bass extension goes lower and more impactful. Curious if that means sensitivity has to be lower to get more bass? Or are you saying smaller cabinet size is what you can't have.

If you want both sensitivity and bass, cabinet will become refrigerator sized (or drop the sensitivity)...It is just the physics...unless you are doing some non-typical design like transmission line, powered, etc.