Gregadd, if you believe H-Cat's designer, Roger Paul, all electronics substantially color music as some frequencies pass immediately and others are delayed, what he calls Dopler shifts. I have not heard his amp as yet but can indeed tell you that you have heard nothing until you hear the Dopler free H-Cat preamp and phono. If you think you have heard an accurately reproduced trumpet you are wrong.
But the reality with which we all have to live is that speakers cannot reproduct music with much accuracy especially in most rooms.
I have spent forty years pursuing realism in music reproduction, and hopefully will spend many more. There is no question that what I am hearing now far surpasses what I heard those many years ago.
As to the laws of physics, I think few scientists would claim we have lawful relationships that much predict the performance of amplifiers or speakers.