Lloydc,
What are the speakers in your system?
Often, the problem you describe with bass at low levels can be due to a mismatch between amp and speakers, especially with tube amps and lower efficiency speakers that have a more complex load to handle.
For example, I'd love to have your amplification but I have yet to discover a tube amp that could drive my fussy Ohm 5's properly (believe me, I'm still looking but am not hopeful).
I replaced a 360w/ch SS Carver m4.0t with a 100 w/ch Musical Fidelity A3CR for exactly the same reason, poor bass at lower to moderate volumes. The Carver actually went louder and sounded great doing it.
If this is the case with you, then tone controls might help compensate but better matching of amp and speakers could correct the problem and negate the need. It did in my case. I don't think I've touched the tone controls on my Carver preamp since.
What are the speakers in your system?
Often, the problem you describe with bass at low levels can be due to a mismatch between amp and speakers, especially with tube amps and lower efficiency speakers that have a more complex load to handle.
For example, I'd love to have your amplification but I have yet to discover a tube amp that could drive my fussy Ohm 5's properly (believe me, I'm still looking but am not hopeful).
I replaced a 360w/ch SS Carver m4.0t with a 100 w/ch Musical Fidelity A3CR for exactly the same reason, poor bass at lower to moderate volumes. The Carver actually went louder and sounded great doing it.
If this is the case with you, then tone controls might help compensate but better matching of amp and speakers could correct the problem and negate the need. It did in my case. I don't think I've touched the tone controls on my Carver preamp since.