I know this has been through the wringer over and over again, and some how I was able to steer clear of most of the shouting, but I've got to chime in.
To "No solidstate amp will make M22's bass "tighter" or "punchier"..." I just have to disagree. When I switched from my Onkyo receiver to my Rotel gear, the only clear difference was the bass becoming exactly "tighter". No, not a HUGE difference, but it was noticable. Curtis (Mr. Ascend) brought his 340's to my place and the first words out of his mouth were the fact that his Ascends bass was "tighter" through the Rotel gear than through his HK525. (And YES we were of course listening to the speakers sans sub)
Slack - As a newbie here, I must warn you that the majority of "regulars" here don't believe in ANYTHING having an audible effect on your system other than the speakers. They'll tell you that ALL receivers sound the same, all amps sound the same, all dvd/cd players perform equally, and don't even DARE mention cables to them - yikes...that'll get them REALLY going!
I'm certainly not going to tell you that any of these things make a huge difference, but most people around here will gladly post a three page diatribe on the issue.
Sushi - forgive me...I still consider you the King of Information around here, I just have to disagree with you on this one.
