new directions in amplifier design

The amplifiers of the future are ALL of those. For every audiofile seeking good sound thru advanced technology, there's another seeking the same good sound thru 100-year-old tried-and-true technology, the most solidstate of which is the diodes! There's room for all of us and all of those designs and more.

Dazz, there are LOTS of rhetorical questions remaining.

The goals of audiofilia are both, and IMO both are absolutely valid. If one listener wants his/her speakers a little warmer balanced than 'flat' because the music he/she loves sounds more pleasing that way, more power to him/her. There's LOTS of room for all of us. I gave up counting angels on pinheads decades ago. This is supposed to be about enjoying music. :-)
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It's true-- the variety is one of the joys of this hobby. I personally can't stand individuals who pollute message boards with "I can't believe you use XXX when YYY technology is so superior at producing ZZZ effect!" The marketplace has shown that there's room for a variety of different products. Tubes aren't going anywhere, nor is vinyl, but new developments such as digital amps will find their place in the marketplace. Half the fun is trying out different technologies until you find what fits your ears.