Looking for power amp with warm, smooth sound

BAT VK200
ODYSSEY STRATOS SE
ROTEL 1080

Any of these should do it.

If not... and even before throwing another amp at things, maybe adding a power filter for a couple hundred might help, like the UPC 200 from PS Audio.

If the receiver has a migratory power cord, that option too should be explored.

I overlooked cabling and conditioning early on and went through a lot more $$$ than I might have, had I looked into those accessories as a solution. Instead I began replacing components and that's an expensive lesson as ultimately they needed to be addressed.

Good luck.

I believe it's more than the amp selection here that points to brightness.

I offered up the Rotel as a BTW mention. I had the rotel playing a pair of VR4 JR with a BAT VK5i preamp. the VR4 JR speakers have a lot of top end energy and regardless the SS amp I tried with them I had to keep the back tweet turned off... even with a BAT vk500 BP. there's not a bright bone in the 500's body!

Cabling played a big part in taming and straightening out brightness. the other major item in controling top end energy was power filtration.

I had a pair of Monitor Audio Gold 60s + a Krell KAV 250 + Sony 444es HT receiver as a preamp for a time then too. this was the most analytical, sterile, yet clear as a bell sounding rig I've owned. The cabling was crap. there was no power filtering going on, and there might even have been a ground loop issue for all I knew then.

ADding another upscale proc/pre helped. in the end I sold it all off... save the Sony receiver. I feel now though, had I investigated cabling and conditioning sooner, some of that rig might have stayed around lots longer... conditioning andd cabling are just that big a help.

However, given the choice between either getting another amp or changing out speakers, actually I'd do both eventually, but first I'd try something lots cheaper... a power filter like a PSA upc 200 FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED or so, instead of major changes first... and/or a power cord swap out. Then maybe do other big changes. that might well be all you need for now.

Addressing the incoming power in any rig is usually a great idea... though many attribute power line issues to a lack of component synergy or poor componnets instead.

Plug in the conditioner! It'll take a little while, like all gear, to run in fully.

Sure... plug in what you have to it as well... if it's designed for everything. some filters are for front ends others for power amps, still others for analog. it shouldn't hurt to try.

One power cord upgrade at the point between the cond and the wall may be of immense help right there!

When I had my Monitor Audio Gold 60s all I had was a sony HT receiver. First I ran a dedicated ckt or two. that only proved out marginally better. Then I added some Monster M1000 ICs. Again, a bit better but nothing to write home about.

then I added a B&K amp, and quickly replaced it with a Krell amp. This was a questionable move at best.

Prior to letting the spkrs go I gave one shot to upscale speaker cables, again, Monster. I regret not having tried out more... but I wasn't then aware of the Cable Co. and their lending - renting library of cabling.

Figuring I had chosen poor components I sold off all of that system save for the Sony rec.

Cabling does matter. Component synergy matters too... but I feel now that with proper cabling and very good components you'll win far more often than you'll lose.

Don't buy things just because of brand name recognition to fill a spot. Think about where you want to wind up first... including what type of sound suits your ears and preffs... and simply go from there.

I feel MA are better suited to HT generally speaking, or with tube gear for music.

A sub won't reduce their top end energy/brightness... I'd look to the EQ in your receiver for that quick fix. it will help fill out and to some degree mask some of the lower midrange sibilence though, but going that way isn't an appropriate path ultimately. it's merely a patch and you're removing more than you are adding.

I tried a few subs too. I now have a Velodyne DD15. I didn't like it too much at first for either HT or music. Messing around with it some revealed a better more suitable setting in it's EQ which solved much of my disappointment. I now enjoy it a lot more. in fact it's very good for either HT or 2 ch. Placement mattered most there and then, dialing it in... and a power cord for it was THE deal.

Get a nice smooth power cord for that conditioner. Get some good cables for them speakers, like Audience or Synergistic Audio active cables, either will translate to other speakers along the way.

There's always two themes for gear you either don't want or don't want in your main rig... trickle down, or resale. I still got the Sony rec. the SR speaker cables, and the PSA UPC 200 power filter, they're just now in other rooms in the home comprising another system and I enjoy them a great deal regularly.

For a cheap but very nice fit for HT and music speakers that are revealing but not bright at all, try looking for some older Phase Tech PC (Premier Collection) speakers like the PC1000 OR PC10.5s. They're great performaers and possess super values. Why more folks don't talk about this speaker line up astounds me. They've been in business now for over 30 years and are quite inovative with several design patents many other speaker makers use frequently today.

Call the Cable Co.!

Good luck.