Hmmm... what speaker cab was being used? Maybe some better tubes could have helped? I played a stock one (using whatever tubes it comes with) through a Germino 4x12 loaded with G12H30s.
Didja check out the link to the amps I posted? They really DO sound like that... I dunno, maybe you didn't hear the amp under an ideal setup. Plus we had the thing nut-rattlingly loud. You're correct in the assumption that the amp is very "honest" and reacts accordingly to whomever is playing it. So basically it is a rather unforgiving amp because it's so sensitive and detailed but if your chops are on game then expect to be handsomely rewarded.
It's not what you would call a high-gain amp... there's plenty of gain on tap though but what it lacks in metawl-gan amounts it makes up for in pure volume and saturation, natural compression, and purity of the tone.
Fantastic peice of electronics, if i do say so myself.