Dead quiet, black background, dimesnional, layered, imaging, open, extended top end - all qualities of top amps, I think. Let the music come through as it was put on the disc - no editorializing.
Be careful of what you ask for! A little editorializing can be welcome with poorly mixed and compressed recordings which most of us have. I agree with Tvad and Marco that color isn't always a bad thing. But saying that Jupiter aligns with Mars and all recordings are perfect there is nothing quite like an amplifier that resolves what is on the recording to make it come alive. I doubt there is an "amp for all seasons" since there are synergy issues that can make a difference in how the top amps might sound in a given system. I own a Berning ZH270, a sort of OTL but not in the sense that a purist would define OTL, but I won't get into that discussion again, it has been argued numerous times in this forum even among the designer's. The Berning holds up well in all the criteria that you speak of. I haven't heard any ss amp rival it or any of the other OTL amps I have heard in the area that tubes excel, presence, immediacy and timbral realism, things I find essential. The Atma-sphere, Graff and Joule all provide this magic with the right speakers but that is the problem, OTL's have the limitation of the number of speakers available that they can be used with. "black background, dimesnional, layered, imaging, open, extended top end" Yes to all OTL amps I have listened to.
SS amps - I can only think of one speaker where SS made it sound close to real music and that is the Apogees. On the other hand, how many tube amps can drive these terrific speakers? Again Synergy plays a key role. I've heard excellent ss based systems but not many that were memorable in conveying the experience of listening to real music in an acoustic space, my personal criteria of what is most important. Again, we all have different priorities. I haven't heard the dartzeel which seems to be something special among ss amps in conveying what tube amps do so well.
Digital amps? I haven't heard any music from these amps but I haven't heard them with the Apogees or any other low impedance load that they might be used with good results. Maybe they have improved?
This is my experience. The consistent magic of real music reproduction is very elusive in that when you think you are getting close you hear something better or is it really just different that makes you question and re-evaluate just what in the hell is going on!
