How far have ss amps really come in the last twenty years?

Excellent. Let us all know how it goes!  In fact, if you do succeed, it will certainly be worth a write-up in the audio publication of your choosing.

wolf, I had no idea if roberjerman was in a band, nor am I claiming hearing loss of any band members, as I was a singer in a band. But for someone as he, to claim, differences in amplifiers do not exist ( and to have a " collection " of them ), must have listening or hearing issues, or systems not hi def enough to notice. Tell me your Schiit pre and Had amp does not sound better ( if not better, at least different ) than your previous gear ( you bought this gear before the Heresy 111s ). Differences exist, and that is all. Enjoy ! MrD.

Ahofer, set it up for me with Shaw, and I will do it, no problem. I am sorry if you feel I do not agree with my interpretation of what I just read. By your response, I am not sure you hear differences in amplification, not even to determine if one is more to your liking over another. Obviously, Shaw makes a fine line of loudspeakers, but I still found it a bit surprising. I can also tell you, many others here would take the challenge, as Atmosphere pointed out, coming home with a new set of speakers. Always, and Enjoy ! MrD.

I am not a fan of Harbeth speakers so it is not surprising that I wouldnt agree with his take on many things audio. 

@mrdecibel  What a strange request!  I don't know him any better than you, but he's quite available in those forums.  Sounds like you aren't completely serious.  Set it up yourself.

I'll do you one better - I'll bet you another grand ($1000) even odds you will fail (you wouldn't have to pay if you can't agree on set up).  But only you can negotiate the terms with Alan.  Maybe at the next expo where there's a Harbeth booth.

No, in my limited experience, I often don't hear the difference between amplifiers (with the exception of underpowered or tube-bloated amps), and I resent it when someone tries to convince me that the new power supply they just swapped in makes any perceptible difference at all.  I sort of want there to be a difference in my heart (I own some expensive gear), but given a review of the actual evidence, I'd have to *bet* that 95% of the people on this forum, and of the dealers I've met, couldn't pass a properly constructed blind or ABX test  (to a reasonable confidence level) of level-matched, properly-powered amplifiers. I may be missing something (point it out to me), but there's almost no convincing evidence out there to support repeatably audible differences between high quality cables or amps (I assume this list is reasonably complete - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/testing-audiophile-claims-and-myths.486598/ ).  The only people who claim to have done this consistently seem to have been by themselves when it happened.  In fact, there's only scant evidence that audiophiles can tell the difference between levels of digital resolution (and I have an extensive hi-res collection!!).  See Archimago's repeated tests -  https://archimago.blogspot.com/   

This is unpleasant stuff to acknowledge about ourselves, but I don't think the hobby does itself any favors by wishing it away.  Let's disprove or confirm it!  Nothing to lose and everything to gain.

So I'm in the enviable position of both being willing to bet, and kind of hoping I lose.