I find your comments extremely interesting.
I'm in the process of building my own phono preamp for kicks - but I also recently changed my amp - and I noticed quite a big difference.
Having said that - I should also state that a lot of variables changed. I've got an all vintage set-up (I actually think it is all 1976, almost on accident)... I originally used an HK A402 integrated (40 wpc) - and just bought a Phase Linear 200 at 105 wpc. So there's definitely more power involved, especially since Phase Linear was known for gear that generally outperformed specs by ~20%.
But it all seems more focused, detailed, and silent when it should be silent. Now I realize that the brands involved are a huge step for the time period - like going from current H/K to something like a Krell, maybe... but I was really blown away by how "new" everything sounds.
Of course, another variable (beyond power) is that the caps in the Phase Linear amp have been replaced with nice new ones, while my old integrated (which now serves faithfully as preamp) was all orig.
I suppose I don't really have a point here, except that sometimes changing gear can actually make a difference - there are just a lot of factors involved.
btw - my g/f noticed the difference with the new amp immediately, and she take no interest in that kind of thing - so I kind of consider that my "super-blind" test
