thanks for your comments and suggestions. i write this in response:

i drink my tap water and think it tastes fine. i use cool water.

i make a 3 "cup" pot every morning for my travel mug. coffee "cups" are just 5 oz. for some reason. so it's 15 oz.

i buy coffee already ground.

i can't remember how much i used to add when the coffee was considered strong, but lately i have been doing about 1.5 - 2 tablespoons for the 3 cups.

i didn't even know a metal filter was an option.

another suggestion i received offline (smirk) was that i give my coffee maker a thorough cleaning.

i have a lot of things i can try, obviously. i'll keep you posted.