Asahi, neither the Onkyo nor any other receiver is inherently so poorly designed that it will make your system sound "warm". You may simply be used to a less accurate sound than what the Axioms are giving you and in time will grow accustomed to it. If your listening room is very live, one type of receiver that can make some difference in the overall sound is one having an automatic room and speaker equalization system, such as the Yamaha 1400.

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Enjoy the music, not the equipment.