solid state vs tubes

MrTennis,
As a long time Magnepan guy, part of your issue with the 1.6s may be more setup than the speaker itself.
At one point I was tweaking the toe every couple days. Bad image here or too bright or whatever.
Finally, in reading around, I found out that Magnepan SWAPPED SIDES on me in the mid-90s. Yep, you are probably listening to the mylar side, with the connection plate and fuse in BACK where you can't see it. You may even have the tweeters out. I think that's what the 'book' calls for. My MG-1s were mylar back and it never occurred to me that Magnepan changed that......My 1.6s now remind me of my old speakers, but MORE in every way....if that makes sense?
Well, ForGet It.
Just rotate your panels IN PLACE. Put the pole piece facing you, the listener and the tweeters 'in'.
My brightness disappeared due to my now crossing the speakers axis behind my sitting position. I couldn't do this before without some funny (not funny, really) image artifacts or even a 'hole' in the center. Now, I have a much better image, no comb effects, smoother HF response, the resistors which I had on the table threatening to install are now put away and the sweet spot is MUCH wider.

Try it and get back to me.....pm if ya' gotta.

when i use my vtl amp on the magggies the treble and upper mids are well behaved. so, i conclude that it may be clipping issues or the solid state transistoritis in the treble when mated with panels, when playing loud, for me over 85 db is loud.

I think you are hearing the way the impedance of the speakers is acting when being driven by tube amplification
vs solid state power;it just so happens you are hearing it in the treble frequency range;its all part of matching the proper amps with the speakers in my opinion.

MrT,

What SS amp specifically produces the treble issues?

I'm seeing that tube amps and maggies are not a bad combo these days, especially with a sub thrown in the mix if desired. My favorite dealer runs this combo these days in his top system room. Maggies are not inherently "muscle" speakers in regards to the low end, not requiring high damping or high current to be driven well from my experience (though they do need SS power to go loud), so I think more moderate powered tube amps can do them well.

I wish I still had my old Mg1Cs. I'd like to hear how they sound off my current Bel Canto Icepower amps. I ran them off a Carver m4.0t (a 360w/ch Ss amp voiced to sound like carver's Silver Seven tube amps) very nicely for years. No top-end fatigue there. The more you listened, the more you wanted to listen, as it should be with Maggies (no fatigue). Maybe that answers the question about SS amps sounding like tube amps, at least in regards to the top end and no fatigue, at least with older Maggies? I did prefer the maggies running with a separate powered sub however in order to get a more muscular low end. My current OHM 5s replaced the Maggies (no sub needed with these).

as i have said, a decent ss amp--200 watts or more elicits bass frequenecies that are remarkable.

i haven't tried many ss amps, but i have treid a 300 watt class a--phenomenal bass, called the Jaton, i have tried roger sanders ss amp (i don't remember what version), and i have tried two "classs D" amps, the raptors, and another whose name escapes me.

years ago, i visited woodbridge stereo and hear the 3.5s with a pass pre and amp. i did not like what i heard. again, i don't remember the model number of the pass gear, nor the digital source.

i have not heard a panel speaker with sold state that does not have unplesantness in the treble.

a friend has an old plinius and someone suggested the levenson 23 or 23.5. i am also interested in hearing an edge amp.

tube amps are more gentle when they clip. perhaps the non-tube amps i have heard exhibited some odd order harmonic distortion which was unpleasant at spls exceeeding 80 + db.

i am open to other suggestions. i woyuld prefer a slight decrement in treble frequencies starting at 10k. yes, its coloration, and i think most designers would not deliberately incorporate such a frequency response in their designs. i am open to ideas , provided the treble reponse is rather well behaved.

i don't remember being impreseed with ss amps and panel speakers at shows or at friensds' stereo systems, but i am getting a bit annoyed at the efforts required to maintain optimal performance of tube amps so i would love to find a ss amp as a replacement.

many have said that there is no ss amp that is audibly undetectable from the sound of a tube amp.

then again, some of the current tube amps are not the most pleasant in the treble .