a solid state amp that is recessed in the treble


i am a reviewer.

i have reviewed all components in a stereo system except a solid state amp.

i have heard some. they remind me of the novel, "dr jekyll and mr hyde".

what i mean to say, is that they do a good job, in the lower frequencies. however, somewhere in the midrange on up, probably above 1000 herz, they sound, hard, shrill, aggressive and unpleasant.

so, for me to consider a solid state amp for review, or even to purchase, as i have noticed, my tube amps warming up my listening room, i seek a solid state amp that sounds like it is attenuated in the treble, or seems to lack some detail in the treble.

i realize that for many audiophiles, i am looking for what may be considered very dark or veiled, but i would probably consider such an amp listenable.

any thoughts.

obviously i could call many manufacturers for advice, however, if there wer an amp that a number of listeners considered a bit lacking in treble extension, i would call the manufacturer and attempt to review it, assuming the amp was not already reviewed too many times.

your input is appreciated.

solid state amps have been a challenge for me , as i have not encountered any that i would want to own.

yes, i realize that a solid state amp will sound different than a classic sounding tube amp.

but, i may get lucky and find a solid state amp i can live with.

my speakers are the quad 57 and magnepan 1.6 .
mrtennis

Showing 1 response by sabai

Mrtennis,
I used to experience what you observe as "hard, shrill, aggressive and unpleasant" sound with my Marantz PM 15 (1993 model). I always thought the problem was with my components -- until I started concentrating on cables and tweaks. They were the key. I have no such complaints anymore.