Bridgeable amps always have the warning: "8ohm and above speakers only." Theoretically they can't handle impedance dips into the lower realms. That may be what you were thinking about damping factor.
I'm glad you agree the 800's were not good amps, we're speaking the same language. I only used them briefly because I just didn't like them, and don't recall any details.
But that "8ohm and above" rule did not apply to my Audionics amps...
Run as normal 70W stereo amps, I found them average. But magic happens when you bridge them. It's not just the boost to 225 Watts — there's more vitality, more radiance. Sheer joy. They run really hot, biased high into Class A, and that Class A warmth and liquid flow is very evident in the midrange and crystalline highs.
Bridged, they were the best amps I ever found to drive my Quad 63 'statics. Quads dip way down to 2ohms, and these little bridged amps handled it without a hiccup, despite what the 'rules' say — and I was comparing them to bigger and far more costly Krell, Audio Research, VAC, and others.
So I guess that 8ohm-only rule about bridging doesn't apply to all amps. I'm told the Hafler 220 is another amp that elevates SQ when bridged, beyond mere higher watts, but I've never heard them myself. The only way to know about the Parasound is to try them — and if you have to buy them, you might consider others, such as the Hafler, which are plentiful and cheap. My love for the Audionics aside, they'll need new caps, I have four and they all do, so that's an extra cost.
Hope this helps, and please update us on your progress.