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
Try to listen a Burmester Power Amps. Their sound has the better sound qualities of tube amps and the articulation and control of a pure solid state.
As Ralph and I previously stated, odd order harmonics may be an issue. From my personal experience, you should try single ended Aleph amps. They are not push pull and thus minimize odd order harmonics and thus don't sound harsh in the treble for this very reason.
I think you should review/try the Coda equipment. The guys at Coda seem to build a very relaxed solid state amp. The #15 might really be something you'd like.
A lot of solid state amps can start sounding harsh if not given their own direct line. They are little piggies about current and don't like to share.

In my experience the Levinsons, Krells, and Codas are very much this way.
I would tend to think this phenomenon is the rule for getting the best from solid state.
Another way to keep odd-ordered harmonics down in a transistor amplifier is to increase the impedance of the load.

(This BTW, is why there really is no argument for four-ohm speaker designs, not if the quality of reproduction is your goal- if **sound pressure** is your goal then have at it.)

The Quad is thus unsuitable for although its impedance is high at bass frequencies it is quite low in the upper mids and treble region. This is one of the reasons why ESLs and transistors usually don't play well together.