I'm pretty sure you'll be ok with the 92. No, it doesn't use the new ICE amps, but I think the 92's amp section is pretty robust. The 92 is a darn-good AVR.
The new ICE-amped Elites do drive M80's beautifully. I've run my M80's with an SC-05 (last year's model), and the sound just kept getting better the louder I cranked it. A really lovely AVR, that was.
However, there is a grain of truth that some Pioneer Elite's can't drive M80's. My circa-2002 Elite VSX-43TX is an example of this. It's ok at quiet volumes, but anything approaching normal movie levels and the SQ breaks down. Highs get screechy, the bass disappears, and the sound field collapses. It doesn't shut down, but it's pretty clear that the AVR isn't happy at that level.
One of these days, I'm actually going to buy a new AVR. I figure, a decade is a good amount of time to keep an AVR.
But until then, my Emotiva LPA-1 amp does the M80-driving, and I'm quite pleased with its performance; it'll go beyond loud and still sound amazing.
Good luck, and welcome to Axiom ownership!
