Most transparent amp you've heard?

How would a fella ever know if he had just heard the most transparent amp if he didn't have the most transparent speaker, what ever that might be? I always thought transparency was the end result of how an amp and speaker interfaced, complimented each other that is, and sounded in any particular acoustic. Amps don't have built in drivers and cross overs, boxed or not. They just put out an electric signal that must be utilized effectively.

Am I missing something?

...and how would one know he had transparent speakers and a transparent
amp unless he had a transparent preamp, and a transparent source.

And, if one one had all these, how would one know what he heard was a
transparent reproduction of the recording unless he had attended the
recording session? Tvad- You have exactly outlined my reference chain, and how I evaluate my system's performance. Why is it that when I mention it the result is ridicule? Very interesting!

"Is the question as posed useful?"

I didn't think so, that is why I posted.

But, I don't think the question needs to embody the perfect reproduction of a live event issues that permeate the typical 'best' question, all you would need is a speaker/amp combo that let the signal pass unmolested, albeit a good, bad, or ugly signal.

As you already know (in spades!) some excellent amps work well with some speakers. Some don't. Each speaker has its own set of pecularities and no amp is universal, although some amps do have a broader range of application. So if one doesn't know the speaker involved how could they guess what specific amp would sound better in it that another?

It eludes me anyway. :-) BTW I think these are all nice amps with great potential.

I wish i knew more about amps. I was under the impression that an amp just amplifies the signal sent from the cd player or whatever the transport is. I think im a bit afraid to listen to some really higher end amps. I just dont have the means to invest in really hi end stuff. Although i would love to hear a super hi end system just to see what im missing which im sure is alot. thanx for any info Kevin