What makes you build a system around an amplifier?

wolf,
Agreed. So often I read posts by members admonishing other members that they must listen before buying, but for the majority of us, it just isn't possible for a variety of reasons, so we just read what we can and hope that our sixth sense is operational. I have made about as many mistakes that way as good calls, but it is really nice when it works out well.

erik,
I'm just getting back to you to try to give a better answer to your interesting question. After 43 years, I am still very attached to my Mac 2105. I originally bought it because I was told it was the best there was by a person I trusted, and I had the money. After I got to know it, I started to become attached for different reasons. I had a chance to compare it over time to Marantz receivers my friends owned, then an Apt Holman amp, and then an Adcom, and finally Quicksilver monos.
Before I go any further, I want to say that at the present time, I rotate it with an 8 watt Audio Note Kits 300b integrated and a 40 watt class A Cayin 265i solid state integrated which I love for different reasons. Returning to the Mac, what I learned from the comparisons with other amps, and they were not analytical comparisons, was that by chance, I had bought an amp that really suited me from the get go. What made it a keeper was it's powerful , if somewhat dark character which always seemed to present music in the way that felt right to me, and I could hear that character no matter which speakers I used.
I do view amplifiers like people...each has its own personality, its weak and strong points; and some you just fall in love with despite technical imperfections. I believe that an amplifier is the emotional heart of my system. Preamplifiers are very important too of course, but for me the amplifier is the emotional center.
I use the other amplifiers I mentioned when I feel like a change, or when I will be listening to music that plays to their particular strengths. The Cayin for instance has incredible PRAT. I never really believed in that term until I bought this amp. It's amazing.

Anyway, the Mac is like a trusted friend, and even though it sees a lot less play time these days, I will always keep it and know that whenever I use it, I won't be disappointed.

erik,
This is a good question. I think that the choice of speakers is the most difficult, because it is just hard to find one that has all off the qualities that you want without any glaring faults. That said, once the speaker decision is made, each amplifier drives those speakers in a different way, and that may be synergistically or not. Even if it is satisfactory, it may not be optimal to our ears.
I think that in my own experience , I have learned that the amplifier is really the soul of the system, and it has multi-dimensional effects on the way the music is reproduced. Even if you change speakers, you can still hear its personality, and if you love that personality, you want to keep it. It's almost like a trusted friend.