My endgame isn’t the collection of hardware but the recreation of music in my house. Yes, I’ve spent money (a lot of money) but only in service of more realistic, to my ears, reproduction. I’ve had the same electronics for nearly 2 decades as nothing I could afford was more than incrementally better. I’ve focused on improving my analog chain (new subchassis, cartridges, motor and PSU, phono pre, new tubes) and have made large strides in its realism.

If I have to choose I’ll pick beauty and emotion over strictly accurate every time. If it’s technically perfect but leaves me cold then why bother? So tubes over SS all things remaining equal, vinyl over digital though HiRes (dowloads, SACD? etc) is better than CD. YMMV

Remember that even though the speakers are new, you’re listening to an entire system. The upstream components may now be revealed as lacking or adding in something that your previous speakers didnt expose. Speakers also require some break-in before they sound right.

Power isn’t the end all and be all of amplifier design. Design, parts quality, current drive and operating class are at.least, and I’d say more important than simply output power. Some of the greatest sounding amps in audio history have low power ratings. The ML-2, 25wpc class A, Pass Labs XA25 and XA30.8 at 25 and 30wpc Class A respectively are world class amps.