Manufacturers don't rate most of their receivers for 4 ohms because they think people will connect 4 ohm speakers to them and crank it. The receiver, while not "rated" to handle 4 ohm loads can indeed handle them just fine. I've never had a receiver just shut off, or clip uncontrolably because it encountered a 4 ohm load. I'd say save your money and not buy an amplifier until you have a space that necessitates more power. An apartment is not a place for big power amplifiers, believe me I know as a fellow apartment dweller. My living room is bigger than yours and my Vandersteen towers (rated 4-7 ohms) sound fantastic running them off my little Teac CD/Receiver. That little thing is rated 25 watts per channel and gets plenty loud enough to annoy the neighbors. However I have told all my neighbors that I play loud music during the daytime sometimes and I feel it's pretty well understood among them that it's no big deal. Tenants in the past have been a little less understanding.
