Anyone ever heard a decent Icepower amp running newer Quad ESLs? That's something I would like to hear.
When I was auditioning for new speakers a few years back, the Quad ESL demo I got at a local dealer hit the bullseye for the sound I wanted, running of CJ amp gear, save for the punch in the bass not being up to snuff with the best I had heard. I tend to think as that as always the main problem with Quad ESLs at least from what I have read and heard with most any amp out there. The rest is more shades of grey amp to amp.
Increased emphasis for a SS amp versus tube in general sounds right to me. The FR with the SS may well be flatter as well, if not perfectly flat.
HEy but then there there is the old nasty odd order harmonics that muck with our ears due to NF issue with the SS amp for sure.
There may be no single right answer, at least on paper. Only our flawed ears know what they hear for sure always.