mech said:
i demo-ed two amplifiers with Focal speakers (appr. 4000 EU price) in a shop, used my own not so well mastered metal CDs - each CD sounds completely different) Musical Fidelity M3i (when played louder, mid tones are dominant, lacks bass and treble) Vincent SV 234 (way better sound even when louder but still lacks tonal controls for my CDs) It only convinced me I cant have an amplifier without tonal controls, no matter how good it sounds when playing expensive recordings.
I hear your frustration mech but I agree with the otheres about the speaker position. My lounge is 4x4m and I don't have booming bass when I listen to the likes of Abnormality, Colonize The Rotting, Cannibal Corpse, Lock Up, Napalm Death, Aborted, Nile, You name it I listen to it.
I don't use tone control because I belive in listening to the signal as purely as possible and it's 1 less circuit for the signal to pass throug. I know you say you need them bacuse of how things sound in your listenig room but as the guys have said an amp is an amp. A more powerfull one with give you a fuller sound and for Deathmetal you need an amp that will give you as much clarity as possible.
My lounge has Mordaunt Short floorstanders connected my Pioneer AVR I sometimes us my Subwoofer and I still don't get boomy sound. The Hi-Fi I mentioned in my fist post is in my bedroom which I have Morbid Angel Heretic on right now.
Granted the triggered kicks on some DM albums can sound boomy on a good system but that's just poor mixing.
List me some albums you listen to and I might be able to understand more what trouble you are having and why.
I suggest getting a mate come and move speakers for you, so you can listen until things start to sound more to your liking
If that really doesn't work then I would suggest you try a Cambridge Audio amp.
Sorry for the long reply.
GP