Al, why would a SS amp have different speaker load options? I would "a-thunk" that most if not all SS amps have very low "decimal-digit" output impedances. So what's going on inside the black box when switching from 6 to/from 8 ohm speakers?? Does it affect the amp's output impedance?
@ to others -- I really don't want to start a speaker skirmish here, so I won't. I get B_limo's comments and experiences about Paradigm speakers and accept his opinion.
I just want to note that the Paradigm Signature line (v2 or v3) uses beryllium tweeters which I think possibly might ameliorate some of the problems B_Limo's raised in his posts. I've owned S8s (v2 and v3) for quite a few years, and maybe I'm just tone deaf (which is quite possible), but IME I think the acoustic presentation is pretty smooth. But ... in fairness to B_Limo, it is quite possible that the Monitors do sound harsh and I respect his opinion.
Ok ... now that I vetted my spleen, let's go back to the amp issue. As Al, Ralph and many others have discussed before, distortion can be one of the biggest reasons for what one perceives as harsh, bright and/or fatiguing sound. And even if an amp is purportedly operating within its rated power limits, it could still be distorting when responding to dynamic transients.
The OP noted that his speakers sounded harsh when playing music at loud levels. Notably, he said that "[t]he fronts do get very bright when pushed especially with metal that I listen to and it is VERY BRIGHT." That sounds like distortion to me - either speaker or amplifier distortion.
Incidentally, I checked the specs on the OP's amp. It's a 7 channel amp with a power rating of 110 wpc (8 ohms). It's quite possible that if the amp is hooked up to the fronts and a bunch of other speakers, the power supply could be choking. Just a guess of course.
For the technically curious, take a look at Keith Howard's article on amplifier abuse, "Heavy Load: How Loudspeakers Torture Amplifiers." I found Mr. Howard's article interesting and informative.
http://www.stereophile.com/reference/707heavy
[Btw, I'm the President of the Philadelphia Chapter of the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Amplifiers).]
So ... I stand by my original advice that the OP should borrow another amp (an even higher rated power amp) and see if the speakers still sound harsh. They just might be as B_Limo surmises. But I think there may be more going on here than just crummy tweeters. Just guessing.
Cheers and let me know if anyone is interested in joining the SPCA. :)
