5% THD to .000 THD SOUND

Hi Al,
I can not disagree with your well presented and rational reply. To be perfectly clear I do in fact believe that specifications and measurements have relevance and are useful. Particularly for screening purposes and initial "short list " selection. You have to begin somewhere and as you note you cannot audition every component that may interest you.

Really my prime contention is these parameters simply aren’t reliable in determining the sound quality of an audio product. Specifications can identify and likely eliminate gross incapatible matches, no question.
However if an opportunity exists to hear the product of interest then this is by far the best way to proceed.

The 5 % THD of the Kagura would rule it out for perhaps many yet the reality of listening to it reveals stunning performance. Given what I heard makes me curious to see a verified THD measurement. If it is truly 5% then it would lead me to question the importance of THD in the overall scheme scheme of things.

There is a thread on this site about amplifier choices for the Wilson Sasha. The OP was considering Pass Labs and Cary 211 tubed amplifier. There were numerous well reasoned arguments to choose the Pass rather than the Cary. The OP ultimately bought the Cary and is ecstatic with it driving his Wilsons. In fact he describes it as "fantastic and magical ".

This type of result isn’t predictable via relying on specs alone thus my science plus art comment above. What ahendler posted has been confirmed by more than a few experienced listeners.
Specifications are of value but other variables are undeniably at play.
Charles,

Ahendler,
One  thing I've consistently noticed with the vernacular of High End Audio is exceptional tube equipment is often described as natural.  Exceptional solid state equipment is often described as accurate. If two different camps exist , that would put me in the former. 
Charles, 

To all - most likely the 5% for the THD of that amplifier is a typo or whatever! maybe language issue! who knows. The generic great sounding tube amps back when this whole THD was big like 30 or 35 years ago came in with what was then thought to be relatively HIGH THD circa 0.5% THD or perhaps 0.05% THD, which IS relatively high compared to the Japanese amps and other SOLID STATE AMPS that were touted as having vanishingly low distortion were coming in circa 0.0005% or maybe even less in some cases. I.e., it was a tube amp vs solid state amp argument primarily. So, I kind of doubt the 5% number. It doesn’t make sense. And you know what Judge Judy says - if it doesn’t make sense it’s not true.

cheerios

Geoff,
Good point,  i admittedly don't know the actual THD  of the Kagura ampllifier, conventional wisdom would predict an overtly colored sound.  What I heard was the antithesis of that assumption. 
Charles, 

Everyone should forget about specs and simply listen.  The ears are the best tool for evaluation.