Auditioning an amplifer at a dealer with unfamilar components is basically useless.
Characterizations such as "strident" or "dry" or "lean" or whatever adjective one chooses, is a function of the system, room, and listener's preferences not a single component.
Characterizations such as "strident" or "dry" or "lean" or whatever adjective one chooses, is a function of the system, room, and listener's preferences not a single component.