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

“I know what I know and hear what I hear.” 

>>>>Boy, how often do we hear that? 😬

Geoff, as often as I say it, but seriously. Twice, in my past, I admit, I could not hear any differences, using your Teleportation tweak. Personally, I knew a fella who claimed it is very real, and I never doubted him, as many people seem to do, when they do not hear something themselves. Enjoy ! MrD.

Well, I may have "peed my pants" but I know an empty argument to authority when I see one..

It’s not an appeal to authority, It’s a notice about dunning-kreuger and how it creeps into the knowledge base re human hearing and audio electronics.

How that ignorance chooses to express itself as authority, because it is built out of an internalized and then projected -- unrealized ignorance. (a mildly oxymoronic word pairing, but ultimately--applicable)*

The kind of ignorance that cannot be surmounted because the capacity to do so is not in evidence.

I wish it were otherwise.

The vast number of times the folks who do hear the differences simply keep their mouths shut and tolerate the intrusion of the ignorance. After all, it is the thing that decent folk do.

Most of the time I do the same. But every now and then, I state the case and the facts clearly and openly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*I’d be happier if some folks would realize they simply don’t have the hearing chops and thus -- let it go. Instead they fall back on book learning and numbers... and attack via dogma. If they had the hearing chops, then they could investigate the why of the differences, but no....so it’s blunt objects on the terror march for everyone -as the standard playbook...

 @keithr   I would agree that the Dartzeel amps are certainly at, or near, the top of ss amps..as to SQ. What is interesting to me, is that the Dartzeel amps I have heard are not significantly superior sounding to my Rowland. Whilst they better the older design in some areas, mostly in their ability to resolve inner detail and slightly in their top end reach...I don’t think the differences are night and day. 
Unfortunately like you, I feel the new generation of Rowland Class D amps are a step backwards...in SQ. Same goes for the other class D amps, like the Mola Mola etc.,

Having read most of this thread, I reflect on my 12+ year old McIntosh MC501 mono block amplifiers.  Paired with a tube pre amp, driving 3.6 Maggie’s.

McIntosh has a certain “sound” and paired with planar speakers they still speak to me.  

Could my my system be better, most likely, but at what cost?  Being married to a world class Economist, marginal cost versus marginal gain is our mantra.

I understand current technology has moved the price much higher, the question is, IF you can hear it, is the price worth it?  

This is is an empirical issue that is answered differently by each individual.

There is much to be said for component synergy and when realized, it takes a LOT to move one off that sweet spot.