How important is the amp?

@Bombaywalla, you wrote the following "side comment" above:

"In the end, I also agree speakers are the worst offenders but I learnt that not everyone agrees on this. This surprised me as it's so easy to hear the distortion thru speakers esp. if they are not time-coherent (which 99% in the market are not). Anyway, just a side comment FWIW:

Of course, ... how could one not but agree. It's common sense. But your "side comment FWIW" is a pet issue of mine: namely, time coherence. Add to that room effect factors.

If interested in my "FWIW side comment," take a look at the "DEQX Game Changer" thread, which has over 400 posts, including contributions from Al (Almarg). IMO, I think the DEQX addresses many speaker/room related problems touched on in this thread that transcends many "simple" amp/speaker compatibility issues.

I think the most likely source of distortion or any form of inaccuracy in the signal chain are found in the opinions expressed by the listener.

Wolf ... you crack me up. So true!!!

Thanks Al and Bombaywalla for the the kind words.

Bifwynne, you beat me to it. There's nothing like a little Wolf to keep things chugging along in the most humorous of ways.

All the best,
Nonoise

Thank you all for the responses. I am going to try to get an other integrated amp from a distributor for testing. Just to see if it will have an impact.

I will be honest with the distributor that the chances are very slim that I'll actually buy it. But I have bought some of his products in the past so maybe as a courtesy he will loan me an amp for one or two week.