need help finding correct stove

Hi, first post but have been reading for months.

November 2011 I bought a Quadrafire Yosemite. I needed a stove that would be hearth mounted in front of my fireplace,
which has a lentil height of 29.5 inches.

I wanted the Cumberland Gap, which in rear-vent configuration has 28 3/16 height to top of stove pipe. i thought it
was a perfect fit, but the wood stove shop said it requires 2 inches clearance from the lentil.

the yosemite is a nice stove but can't get my 1900 sf house above ~70, even during this mild winter.

i am also jealous of my friend's top loading Vermont Castings. After a night of burning i always have a mess
in front of my stove from using the front door. side door ok, but so small it makes loading a chore.

I am not concerned with staying with Quad stoves.

can anyone 1) confirm the 2 inch clearance noted above, as i can't deduce that from the qaudrafire website, and they post no contact phone #,
2) suggest a larger stove to me that will fit into my fireplace? i'd prefer top load but could live without it.

ps - my wood is fine. my neighbor burns 4 yo seasoned and has given me a week's worth to see if things improved over what i had bought
earlier this winter. better, but still lacking.

yosemite specs: (not that i agree)

42,500 BTUs—Heats up to 2,200 square feet
1.5 cu. ft. interior capacity / 18" maximum log length
Up to 9 hours of burn time from each load of wood

my house is 7 years old and pretty tight. Air gaps sealed.

stove is in living room on 1st floor. Only 3 rooms there, kitchen, dining, and living rooms.
open staircase to 3 bedroom up stairs. heat is rising fine, upstairs ~70 degrees.

this winter has been crazy mild here in massachusetts. I am very concerned that in a
normal winter this stove couldn't keep up.

wife is still wearing sweaters and watching tv wrapped in a blanket.

this isn't what i envisioned when i dropped 3k between stove, 35 foot liner, and install.

oh, and my stove shop just replied to my email - the 2" clearance is THEIR rule, not quads.
i wanted the cumberland gap but they said no, there's not 2 inch clearance. turns out that's
their rule of thumb so they don't find out stove is too large at install. man oh man.

Begreen - i edited an earlier post of mine and added this -

oh, and my stove shop just replied to my email - the 2†clearance is THEIR rule, not quads.
i wanted the cumberland gap but they said no, there’s not 2 inch clearance. turns out that’s
their rule of thumb so they don’t find out stove is too large at install. man oh man.

Called Quadrafire last night.
Customer service man actually said "i don't know why you're calling us instead of your dealer" even after i explained myself.

For rear vent installs, there is a small heat shield for the pipe that is required. It is on my stove, i didn't really notice since i have
about 4 or 5 inches of clearance right now. here's there specs for the cumberland gap - do you see a heat shield? neither do i.
i asked why it isn't shown on the diagram if it's required. no answer to that.

my next stove won't be a quad.