Whats your budget? We need to know this to make recommendations. And yes, CDP's really do make a signifcant difference in sound quality and resolution, tonal differences, imaging, transparency, clarity, musicallity just to name a few ways it can affect the sound.

It sounds like you may be a Cerwin-Vega fan although I would never personally recommend them to any one. But they play loud and are great party speakers.

For a receiver, you should check out www.outlawaudio.com. They have a 2ch receiver for $600 that would kick ass on those vintage amps you mentioned. High current and it puts out more power than its rated at and has a Retro-vintage look. It should be able to drive anything you throw at it.