Most transparent amp you've heard?

...and how would one know he had transparent speakers and a transparent
amp unless he had a transparent preamp, and a transparent source.

And, if one one had all these, how would one know what he heard was a
transparent reproduction of the recording unless he had attended the
recording session?

Can there ever be a perfect scenario for evaluating equipment? And, if not,
is all observation and opinion moot because it was not rendered in a
perfectly transparent system?

Where does this end?

Is the question as posed not useful?

I don't know. Just asking...

PS- In my imperfect system, knowing what I heard was absolutely not what
the recording engineer heard because everything is different including the
room and electronics, the most transparent amps I have heard are still
Atma-Sphere and Pass Labs. ;)

...and how would one know he had transparent speakers and a transparent
amp unless he had a transparent preamp, and a transparent source.

And, if one one had all these, how would one know what he heard was a
transparent reproduction of the recording unless he had attended the
recording session? Tvad- You have exactly outlined my reference chain, and how I evaluate my system's performance. Why is it that when I mention it the result is ridicule? Very interesting!

"Is the question as posed useful?"

I didn't think so, that is why I posted.

But, I don't think the question needs to embody the perfect reproduction of a live event issues that permeate the typical 'best' question, all you would need is a speaker/amp combo that let the signal pass unmolested, albeit a good, bad, or ugly signal.

As you already know (in spades!) some excellent amps work well with some speakers. Some don't. Each speaker has its own set of pecularities and no amp is universal, although some amps do have a broader range of application. So if one doesn't know the speaker involved how could they guess what specific amp would sound better in it that another?

It eludes me anyway. :-) BTW I think these are all nice amps with great potential.

I wish i knew more about amps. I was under the impression that an amp just amplifies the signal sent from the cd player or whatever the transport is. I think im a bit afraid to listen to some really higher end amps. I just dont have the means to invest in really hi end stuff. Although i would love to hear a super hi end system just to see what im missing which im sure is alot. thanx for any info Kevin

You have exactly outlined my reference chain, and how I evaluate my system's performance. Why is it that when I mention it the result is ridicule? Very interesting!
Rodman99999 (Answers)

Rodman99999, unless your listening room is identical to the room in which a recording was mixed, and unless you own both the original electronics and speakers through which the recording was mixed so you are able to compare the sound of the mixing studio to the sound reproduced by your reference system in your listening room, then you will never know if what you have is true to the recording. This is obviously a ridiculous scenario, but one made to illustrate the point.

No one here doubts you have a very nice system, a rich exposure to live music, and a fine ear, but let's not pronounce you...or anyone else..."The Oracle" just yet. OK?

Newbee, I agree the argument that a system embody the perfect reproduction of a live event is moot because it's an impossibility.

As William Goldman said in "Adventures of the Screen Trade", no one knows anything. This applies to audio as well, for the reasons you stated.