Charles, it's difficult for me to understand your and Tom's findings to be mainly "listener taste" and "room" dependant. I can, however, accept system compatibility or optimization (or lack of) within a system playing a role, but to a degree.
For example, 'anemic' is well, anemic. : ) To me, that's (fairly) unequivocal.
This would be good to figure out. Perhaps those who have different and positive results with the MZ2 as a linestage can offer their thoughts as well?