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Rogue Atlas Magnum sounds bright -- any recommendations?

Gents, I need some help here.  I am making a move back to a tube amp, in place of my McCormack DNA .05.  I just acquired a early version of the Atlas Magnum with KT90's and it sounds excessively bright to my ears.  It has stock tubes.  I have a Don Sachs preamp driving my Spatial Audio M4 Triode Masters.  

I need to tame this brightness to better enjoy this amp.  Thanks for any input you can provide.   
whitestix
hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,611 posts
 
Any particular reason you're taking the DNA .05 out of your system?  As SS amps go, the .05 was well regarded for being a smooth performer rendering fine detail.

If you really want to max. out the .05 you could call Steve McCormack at SMc Audio to see what he could do to update it.  I recently had my DNA-1 upgraded to Gold Special status and it is fabulous.  Not a lot of 💵 for the extensive upgrade.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
4,966 posts
 
Both the Atlas Magnum with KT120 or the earlier review with EL34 had High frequency problems as far as bench tests went. Maybe your hearing this.

" Though I must admit to some disappointment with the amplifier’s lack of high-frequency linearity, in this respect it is no worse than the original EL34-equipped Atlas"
Read more at https://www.stereophile.com/content/rogue-audio-titan-atlas-magnum-power-amplifier-measurements#huw4...

" I wonder why a touch more negative feedback was not used to make the high-frequency performance more linear"
Read more at https://www.stereophile.com/content/rogue-audio-atlas-power-amplifier-measurements#riKwozYLl0XETCR8....



Cheers George
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 
As Ralph Karsten (atmasphere) has been saying, distortion is perceived as tonality. Less high frequency distortion = less brightness.
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