Amp with best bass control


Which solid state amp(s) have you heard demonstrate the best bass control? I'm not talking "go the lowest", I'm talking "tight tight - super tight grip on the bass". I'm talking "fast" as well. The proverbial Kung-Fu Grip!

Thanks all!

Mike
mbovaird
As a person who plays bass guitar, I resent all this control people seem to want to have over bass. Maybe I'm being over sensitive, but I think I have the right to be utterly out of control.
Mike, the Raidho D3's sound like amazing speakers. You mentioned some very good amps. I own a pair of Magico S5's and have heard the S5's with Vitus & Soulution amps. I liked the Soulution 710 which sounded very smooth and relaxed, much like the S5's. As for Vitus, i've only heard the S5's with the Vitus RI-100 integrated and liked the tonal balance, but overall preferred my Boulder amps which subjectively sound more powerful & transparent. If you were going for Vitus, I would recommend their mono's which achieve more acceptable channel separation. I've heard various Rowland amps, including the 725 mono's. I don't know, when I hear them I hear some artifice which I find a bit fatiguing in long listening sessions. Maybe that's due to the op amps or switcher psu? The weak point of Rowland imho is their preamp. Spectral i'm not a fan of. They sound too clinical and bright for my liking. You correctly pointed out the Raidho's diamond drivers & ribbon tweeter require plenty of clean power which can match them for speed. I don't have access to D'Agostino or Constellation gear; both could be good options. If you're still auditioning amps later in the year, i'd include the new Boulder 2160 which should be excellent. Boulder have also just released the new 2110 preamp which from all i've read is outstanding. Enjoy the process.
Wolf - playing bass and controlling bass are two completely different things. If I gave you a really old paper cone bass amp, you wouldn't like the way the bass sounded (flabby). Just like some guitarists prefer tube amps to SS amps....it's the same thing.

Diamond woofers (new technology) are very hard and therefore need an amp that can move them in and out quickly and efficiently.
For a tube amp the Berning zh270 has the best control I've personally heard. I've compared it favorably to a SS Class A behemoth (Krell) and it sure held its own. We're talking fast bass here. DC coupled so you would expect it.