What makes you build a system around an amplifier?

What what make me to build a system around what I thought to be an excellent amplifier ?, speaker choice .
 If you felt your amplifier drove your previous speakers optimally I would look into staying with that brand of speakers and try their top end models or research what other brands of speakers that are driven optimally with your amplifier, it’s all about a happy marriage between the two .

 I had a pair of Sophia 845s  which were the best amplifiers I'd heard after hearing quite a lot.  I was powering a pair of Tannoy's and the combination was quite good indeed. Then I tried a pair of altec 604's which are 16 ohms.  I prefer those over the Tannoy's.  Then I had the good fortune to get to audition a pair of atmosphere him 60 mono blocks and prefer those over the Sophia's, in part I believe due to the fact that my speakers are 16 ohms.  I found the atmospheres just sounded better than the Sophia's, again I believe due to the fact that I have the perfect matching speaker. They were more transparent and more musical across the board. Now I would look for speakers to match those amplifiers if I were ever to make any changes.   I would also love the chance to audition a David Berning  amplifier against the atmospheres. 

robd1 :

Um, not sure what speaker / control he is talking about but yes, speakers which have low bass impedance tend to sound limp / gutless unless driven by a beefy amp, which often implies SS.

Notice all the caveats you haters before you come at me!

Best,

E

Unless you're a reviewer who listens to different piles of gear for months to form an opinion, I think most people luck into the synergy of a good system since they're not likely to be able to audition several amps in their own listening environment to see what makes the magic for them. I read about Dennis Had's "Inspire" gear for a while and enjoyed a Youtube interview with him before randomly finding one of his SEP amps for sale. I had no idea how it would sound with my current gear (as with any new component) but was astonished with the damn thing immediately…it just sounds right, or at least more right to my ears than any amp I'd listened to previously. Clarity (from 12 watts per side), tonal accuracy, etc., but mostly it keeps me stuck in my listening spot longer…the ultimate test I think. Luck is often created by action, but in audio there's so much hype and nonsense around what, in the end, wind up as personal preferences that it's great thing when something works for you.

wolf,
Agreed. So often I read posts by members admonishing other members that they must listen before buying, but for the majority of us, it just isn't possible for a variety of reasons, so we just read what we can and hope that our sixth sense is operational. I have made about as many mistakes that way as good calls, but it is really nice when it works out well.