[Niteshade]

Yamaha & Denon: They are pretty dark.

[Ericus Rex]

LMAO!

Don't encourage him   

[BobRex]

Just out of curiosity, why the desire for a "dark" SS amp?  Are you compensating for something else in the chain?  Wouldn't it be easier (and maybe cheaper) to get a neutral amp and just tone shape it with cabling?  Sure there are plenty of darker sounding amps, but what happens when you tire of that coloration?  ESL63s aren't the brightest speakers to begin with, so why compound the issue?

[Niteshade]

A neutral amp is a good idea. You can shape the sound with a graphic equalizer and/or graphic-parametric equalizer for precise control. The cabling should be neutral too.

[Napalm]

Yamaha & Denon: They are pretty dark.

You know, I'd say that Denon is "gray". Like it lacks both ends and dynamics too. Which gives a generally non-offending but dull, unexciting sound. Pretty much the Toyota Camry of audio world.

Nap. 

[bpape]

I wouldn't characterize the Korato as 'dark' by any means.  Yes - it leans toward the warm side but not at the expense of the top end.  The amp that was out with the NYAR guys was the standard  SS amp.  The Anniversary is a whole different beast with even more guts, more extension on both ends, and a nice, neutral midrange.  I think it's likely too much though for the Quads at 180WPC (heavily biased into Class A up to around 40 Watts).

If price is no object and you can find the unobtanium tubes, the best I ever heard 63's sound was with a pair of Futterman monos.

Bryan

[roscoeiii]

I'd agree that "dark" wouldn't be how I'd describe the Koratos I heard paired with the Fritz Carbon 7s at AK Fest. Tough for me to distinguish amps from speakers contributions at these events, but darkness certainly wasn't something I associated with this room.

[jtwrace]

I'd agree that "dark" wouldn't be how I'd describe the Koratos I heard paired with the Fritz Carbon 7s at AK Fest. Tough for me to distinguish amps from speakers contributions at these events, but darkness certainly wasn't something I associated with this room.

How did those Fritz Carbons sound?

[roscoeiii]

Oh, they were fantastic. It's been a couple weeks now so I'm not going to be able to give a detailed description this far out. Do remember being pretty shocked at the bass quality for a speaker of that size. Upright bass sounded fantastic. Also recall a very coherent sound. I was dragged into the Fritz room from the Audio Note room by another enthusiast (from Ohio, whose name/moniker I wish I remembered) who was also loving the Audio Note sound. Fritz speakers were among my favorites of the show, and the cheapest of my favorites (even when price was not taken into account). You can find more impressions on the AK Fest thread.

[rollo]

Thanks for the input men. The amp is NOT for me. It is for a gentleman who has a problem with high frequencies. He sits in the last row in the concert hall to get that full and colored presentation. Which he loves.
   He hates bright, detailed and thin sound. He is a different type of listener. It appears the Pass or Bedini amps may be an option.
  Chocolate would best desribe the sound he is after. Thanks again for the help.


charles

[jtwrace]

Chocolate would best desribe the sound he is after. Thanks again for the help.
charles

   I love Chocolate but can't wrap my head around this one...

[rollo]

So what you're asking for is something broken??

  Not to his ears, that is what he likes and where he spends HIS money. Is there something wrong with personal taste ? 


charles

[jtwrace]

Is there something wrong with personal taste ? 
charles

Not at all.  To each his own.   

[rollo]

Not at all.  To each his own.   

  Thank you JT


charles

[BobRex]

I take it tubes are out of the question?  Given the high freq. capacitance of the 63s, virtually any tube amp will end up rolled off.  Doesn't McIntosh make a 100 watt sand amp?  That would probably fit the bill.

[saisunil]

Along with the choice of amps - this is as good an opportunity as it gets to look into dark sounding interconnects. I had a set of Palladiums - man they were dark!

[BobM]

Ugh, after 30+ years of being an audiophile Roy is still looking for an amp with a sound that nobody considers normal. It would be far easier if he just bit the bullit and got an equalizer. That way he could control his high frequency rolloff above 10KHz and be happy with it. He wouldn't get any extra hiss or noise because that generally doesn't start until after 10KHz.

And Chocolate is definitely not the right work. Dull, cutoff, void of detail and uninvolving is more like what he is after. Maybe he should just get a different speaker that excels at midrange and doesn't do anything else, like a single driver cone with a removed whizzer and no horn loading.

[boead]

Ugh...It would be far easier if he just bit the bullit and got an equalizer. That way he could control his high frequency rolloff above 10KHz and be happy with it.

But that’s like putting a burlap sack over your speakers.

[TONEPUB]

Seriously, grab a Dynaco Stereo 70 and hook it up to some Quads...  It's great.

[BobM]

But that’s like putting a burlap sack over your speakers.

Funny you should say that. The person in question used to drape towels and tape foam packing material over the speakers to get just this effect. Yes, that is in effect the sound he finds pleasing to his ears.