Sarcher30 I would prefer not to name manufacturers since I don't think they are individually deserving of the bad press. As for what I am impressed with the Phantom II Supreme is my reference baseline.
Consider a wood bodied instrument such as a violin. The wood type, vintage, varnish, etc will all have an effect on its signature sound and tone. A hifi instruments duty is not to add more resonance or "tone" of its own, but to most faithfully reproduce the sound of that original violin. By adding its own colorations the violin no longer sounds like the original instrument.