Thanks, Brian and Blutarsky; I saw another thread where Blutarsky expressed a lot of happiness with the Outlaw power amp.
Only now do I notice the nice triple-threat package deal they have with a 975/5000/oppo-203, where pending shipping, one might save a little...potentially sweetening the deal on an Oppo considerably. Too bad I am still rocking my 103!

I need to do some more research on the 975 and how it compares with its equivalents chez Emotiva etc. I might get a stop-gap solution for less money and then get the package deal when I feel like a slight upgrade in my player.

I do not trust myself to know clipping when I hear it---some examples I've listened to online seem extreme for the sake of emphasis---so I'm afraid I am ripe for exploitation when it comes to fretting over accidentally destroying my speakers. Or geez, my ears!
I'm going to get a SPL meter and stop this Iphone-app nonsense.