h45 I like your thinking, though I am not that guy, I appreciate the effort!
rate and describe your experience
As most here know, the "synergy" of a system is important. Ok, well what does "synergy" come to, in practical, experience-able terms? That requires some "taste-testing."
The more sonic combinations I sample, the more refined my discrimination gets. Having different amps and preamps allows me to produce different combinations which sound bad or good — and which I cannot discover with only one preamp-amp-speaker pairing. Sonic description is somewhat tricky, so let me go to food.
There’s a delicious combination one finds in cobbler — buttery, sweet, crunchy. That flavor experience is unique and not something one finds in, say, creme brûlée — which is smooth, creamy, milky. Both of these also differ from, say, fruit cocktail — citric, fibrous, watery, crunchy.
The point of these food analogies is that the ingredients' "synergy" in each 'good' experience is different. Unless one tries very different synergies, one cannot know the variety of good experiences out there. Same with preamp-amp-speakers.
The other main service that multiple combinations provide is to point out the limitations of my speakers. If I am seeking a certain kind of sound and I’m not getting it with any combination, then it’s the speaker’s fault. (I’ve tried to dial in my room and subs as much as possible.)
