Inna, I think you're being little bit unfair when you characterize Bryston as mid-fi. But without naming other brands right now, I just want to say that "mid-fi" is EXACTLY what I'm after at this point in the process. And that there is, if not a 'method' to this madness, at least a 'reason' for it . . . . . and the reason I'd stay away from anything 'better' than a "top-notch mid-fi amp" (is that OK?) at first, is because using a Rowland, or Pass, or other 'hi-fi' amp at this stage will make the selection process more complex/confusing by presenting EVERYTHING a speaker can do, in large quantity, or small, -- and that would be counterproductive.
At this point, you need an amp that is ONLY GOOD ENOUGH to present a speaker's obvious strengths, while missing, or 'globbing' together (aka 'congestion') other qualities which that speaker may posses in lesser amounts -- a modest amp that allows you to hear the "high points" or the most "obvious strengths" of each speaker. That way, you'll be able to more quickly identify the one or two speakers whose strengths matter the MOST to YOU; and reject the ones whose strengths are less important to you (or which have no particular strengths at all ;--) This is one of the trickiest parts of the journey; a multiple choice question where there might be more than one 'right' answer. So anything one can do to quickly highlight the 'right' answer (including tilting the playing field ;--) is going to both save time AND build your confidnce in your decisions.
As for reversing this approach ("choose the amp and then speakers and cables"), well, I think it can only work in theory, or 'on paper'. That's because I don't believe it's possible to find a loudspeaker that would be the equivalent of a 'mid-fi' amplifier in serving as a temporary reference point (although it might be fun to speculate on the candidates ;--)
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