Need a warm amp for bright speakers

Going from one receiver to another is a risky option. Can you demo the monitor 9's at a dealer with some other brands, like Denon?

Just looked up the specs on the Monitor 9 version 7 on the Paradigm web site. I don't know the changes incorporated from version 5 (your version), but here's some high level thoughts which may be helpful if the v5 and v7 are similar.

The Monitor 9 v7 has an aluminum dome tweeter. The speaker's overall sensitivity is rated at 91 db, which shouldn't really stress an adequately powered amp. Some have said that the aluminum dome tweeter is hot.

Paradigm represents that the Monitor 9 FR is +/- 2 db, 46 Hz through 22K Hz. Even though Paradigm's spec sheet says FR is still pretty flat even 30 degrees off axis, maybe the speakers are beaming. Try turning the speakers off axis from your listening position, maybe straight ahead.

Also, I'm not familiar with your Pioneer amp, but I wonder if you're driving it too hard. You mentioned that "[t]he fronts ... get very bright when pushed especially with metal that I listen to and it is VERY BRIGHT." That permits the inference that the amp could be distorting. How many watts per channel is the amp rated at??

Another thought is that your amp may have a super high damping factor because its using a lot of negative feedback (NF). As some of our tech members have said on numerous occasions, even though NF reduces published overall harmonic distortion, what is not reported is so called "odd ordered" harmonic distortion. Even small amounts of odd ordered harmonic distortion will make your system sound harsh and bright.

I'm not saying the problem isn't the speakers, but I wouldn't rush to judgment. If you can borrow a decent SS amp with at least 75 to 100 wpc (if not more) from a friend or dealer, you might be surprised.

Good luck and please report back.

Also the Monitor 9's must be biampable or triampable. If you have not replaced the flat brass straps aready, they should be replaced with a high quality jumper. I use anticable fom Paul Speltz whch is inexpensive. Those factory straps are horrible.

Really like what Bifwynne says.

I would not assume the spks. are at fault. I own some Paradigm Phantoms which also have a metal dome tweeter. I own two small 50w amps (one is Mos-Fet, the other Bi-polar.) Depending on the music being played, I generally prefer the Bi-polar sound. So, add a small amp (your rec. has pre-amp outs) and I believe you will be amazed at the better quality of sound. (BTW, the amps I own, MOS-FET Rotel RB-951. Bi-polar, ADCOM 5002. Next, you haven't mentioned what interconnects and spk. wire you're using. This also has an influence on the sound. Finally, your source may be the culprit as well. I like the idea of adding an amp. That would be ideal for your 2-ch. stereo listening. Good Luck!

Bifwynne,
Good post and suggestions concerning amplifier characteristics, they do matter. The contributions of the amp certainty can impact the overall sound quality, it isn't exclusively just the speaker being heard.
Charles,