I Need A Power Amp?

[jimmy m]

I got a good deal on some Cerwin Vega speakers. Got a pair of DX-9's and RE-30's. The speakers are in immaculate condition. But I have only an older Marantz 2250B as my tuner/power amp. I get to half volume and the sound starts to distort. Forgive me for not having a lot of stereo savvy, but I am assuming I need more power to make the speakers sound better. I'm using the system to play music only. Any recommendations on what I can do to have a better sounding system when I crank the volume. D'ont really want to spend more than 2-3 hundred, but I have seen some interesting power amps on ebay for that kind of money, and have no idea what I'm bidding on and what to look for. Any HELP? There is pretty good sized speaker wire so I don't think that is it either. Sorry for sounding so lame.
Listen, I'm a 61 year old hippie who has collected music for 50 years and still likes to crank it up once in awhile. I know I dont have the astute questions that all the audiophiles seem to like to pounce on. Give an old man a break, just looking for some kind of direction.
jimmy m