Hi Craigert.
You are definitely getting the bottom side of your receiver, unfortunately. The receiver will only have one transformer feeding all channels within it. They tend to be quite small, intended to drive other smaller surround sound speakers, and typically limited in their dynamic ability compared to stand alone amps. While you are actually bi-amping at this time, you are running off of one, likely small, transformer from the receiver that is feeding all of the receivers amps/channels. The Monitor Audio Gold is an excellent speaker, though I am not familiar with its load rating or efficiency,,,,,, is your receiver getting unusually warm/hot? While the Pioneer Elite is nothing to sneeze at, without knowing the model of Pioneer Elite I can not comment more specifically on its capabilities, and whether or not you are doing those fine speakers justice. If its sounds better than before, than as long as the receiver is not heating, you've done a good thing. Yet, with the Parasound consideration, depending on what model Parasound, it is likely the Parasound will be your superior sound, bass, impact, etc, etc. Again,,,all model dependent. Both Parasound and Monitor Audio are available at many stereo shops...it is likely you could google and find one that carries both, then stop in to hear the Parasound on Monitor Golds...that should definitively answer your question.
Hope you see some benefit to my ramblings!
>>> Rich
