@jnovak Correct. There is no such thing as one amp for all. Amps have to be matched to the loudspeaker.
@audphile1 If I blinded you you would never be able to tell the difference between most DACs.
What recordings sound like in the studio can not be used as a baseline. Most recordingings can not be used either. Only a few live recordings are acceptable. Only with experience and the most accurate loudspeaker/room combinations can you determine what a component is really doing as the differences with the vast majority of electronics is very minor. Amplifiers are a special case because they have to be matched to the loudspeaker, a mismatch at best will sound bad and at worst will blow up the amp which I have had the pleasure of doing. JC 1s RIP.