i did find this in the manual....

"if you switch on the midnight mode, loudness, dialog enchancement, the sound retriever or tone controls when DIRECT is selected, the receiver automatically switches to STEREO."
"if you switch on Acoustic Calibration EQ when DIRECT is selected, the receiver automatically switches to STEREO."

of course these were mentioned in the Note section above the page number in what looks like a font of 4.

since i cannot view the front of the Pioneer, i think it is auto switching to stereo and i never get direct to stick. This could be part of my problem. I'll check that out. I assumed direct turned everything off. Guess each manf. is unique.