Your Rotel combo and that Rotel amp looks very desirable to me.
I would return the McIntosh, and try different speakers as others and you discuss. My McIntosh C28 and MC2250 were bulletproof, did nothing wrong, but ......, I prefer any of the tube amps I have owned or my friends own.
Klipsch, or other efficient speakers, so that eventually you might try a tube setup.
Size of your listening space?
You have a small rear port now, and the curved back of the Paradigms has to be helpful with corners, reflections. the Flat box shaped Klipsch and large rear passive radiator are my only concern regarding the Forte. I designed rear ports for my custom enclosures, they were great in prior space, plugged up in current space.
I would return the McIntosh, and try different speakers as others and you discuss. My McIntosh C28 and MC2250 were bulletproof, did nothing wrong, but ......, I prefer any of the tube amps I have owned or my friends own.
Klipsch, or other efficient speakers, so that eventually you might try a tube setup.
Size of your listening space?
You have a small rear port now, and the curved back of the Paradigms has to be helpful with corners, reflections. the Flat box shaped Klipsch and large rear passive radiator are my only concern regarding the Forte. I designed rear ports for my custom enclosures, they were great in prior space, plugged up in current space.