I'm just curious as to what the "amps don't change the SQ" club has to say about this?

Especially comments about a changing soundstage...

...get the popcorn maker fired up....

This is one thing I still don't understand. "The soundstage changing". If I wasn't sitting in Jays room listening as he switched the speaker wires from the Denon to the Axiom and hearing the noticable difference between them. I would have assumed since the Axiom had more output the sound would just be slightly louder. The only thing I can possbly think is happening is using a receiver vs using seperates, where the receiver may "colorize" the sound slightly and the Axiom amp brings out the best of the speaker especially the M80.
Just my one cent thought on this.
Mel N.

Mel and Jay are wonderful. Thanks very much to both of you. Very interesting!

Very nice comparison!

And here I am with a wife willing to let me spend $4500 on an amp and no money to do it, ARRRRGGGHHHH

Look people, I'm glad you had fun with this little test, but i just finished my application to the "flat earth"...I mean "amps don't sound" fraternity. Don't get me confused again! How can Peter hear a big difference b/w the Pioneer and the Onkyo or Jay hear a big difference between the Denon or the Axiom if there is no difference without more than doubling the power???????
Perhaps the Axiom does quadruple the power of the Denon? And Peter clearly has issues - how else do you explain the patience to swap AVRs time and time again for our benefit? Something is not right here. I'm starting to think my wires do make my system sound better than tin lamp cord. It's all slipping away...and I had it so nicely wrapped up. Time to pull the crystal changer out of the closet.

Do you want some Totem Beaks with that Charles?

Maybe it should be amps of the same quality do not sound different? And Axiom's amp is not of the same quality as anything I have ever tried out. I know Mel(onn) mentioned he didn't think there was much difference between the Axiom and his Denon seperates he is using, but he thought there was a noticeable difference from my 3808 to his Denon. I think I got this right, Mel?

You got that right.
Maybe it was the speaker wire
Since I'm not an expert at this and can only go by what I heard, I still think that the receiver vs the separates has to come into play somehow. Having that extra headroom is another possibility. I'll leave this up to you experts to decide and I'll sit back with popcorn in hand.
Mel N.