Help me find a smooth solid-state amp?

Aloia Amps with the inductive power supply. Smooth and powerful. THe best I have heard

MCCORMACK DNA 0.5 DELUXE OR PERHAPS THE MCCORMACK DNA 0.5 DELUXE THEN AGIAN YOU COULD TRY THE MCCORMACK DNA 0.5 DELUXE

Lots of responses here. It looks like it's a story of been there, done that. Start with the source. Pioneer? I guess they've made bright sounding stuff since the '60's. Try another source. Try different interconnects/speaker wires. Do you really want to design your system around the Pioneer DVD player and the Soliloquy speakers, and throw out the amp/preamp? If so, bid on the CJ integrated tube amp. Consider calling Musical Concepts, they've been modifying Adcom gear since Dynaco went out of business. Good luck!

If that front end is a Pioneer DV525 - then the DAC in it is bright and mechanical/electronic sounding. Warming it up will not fix the fact that the front end has sucked natural harmonic balance out of the music. A decent DAC or another CD player is where you are best to start - and then look at the preamp.

I am personally very happy with the BAT VK200 SS amp. The VK200 doesn't get a lot of attention because it lives 'in the shadow' of the tube gear in the BAT line (I also have a VK3i preamp). Nevertheless, it is a solid performer that to my ears delivers liquid smooth midrange, while maintaining rock solid bass control. At 100 wpc, this fully balanced design won't power a small city, but manages my Magneplanar 1.6QRs with authority. I think this is an amp I will live with for a looong time. I also listened to the Classe CA 101 for a while in another system I had and was pleased with it as well.