Is there any technical disagreement with the
@TLS Guy post?
Not from me, but I have always included (though not consistently stated, as I should) the provision that the amp is operating within its design capability and would tend to categorize the situation he speaks of as speakers having special demands that approach or exceed the amplifier's design capabilities. Certainly, if you are driving speakers like Gene's Status Acoustics 8T's you cannot just grab any old amp off of the shelf!
Certain speakers, like Maggies, have an established reputation for requiring a more capable amp than most.
This is a gap or flaw in "the system" which we have seen surface here on occassion! Polk comes to mind as one I have read about recently on this forum where the speakers are actually quite demanding; however, the speakers are being sold through Best Buy "bulk commodity" stores that do not make an effort to inform the buyer.
I always assume that if you are buying Status Acoustic 8T's, somewhere along the way, someone from SA or your sales rep is going to have a conversation about what amp you will use with them.
Now, I may not fully understand what TLSGuy is saying! Is he saying that even if amps are not being pushed to their limits they will still have different sound characteristics while under a situation that is easily sustainable?
In that case, tell me more (including how this characteristic might, or why it couldn't be measured)!