Excellent work Mr. H.
I've always very much favoured the RP72 (I'm listening to 'Tone' on R2 on one as I type) and also the R707, and have often wondered if this is due to the influence of the late great Peter Baxandall.
Maybe it is the 'sound of the sound' that I like.
http://www.douglas-self.com/ampins/pseudo/subjectv.htm
I agree on your comments on Goodmans (with or without bolts) being somewhat 'grunty' and lacklustre.
And yes, the VHF Herald is a bit like the 'Cooper S' of the Hacker world.
Never overwhelmed with any of the Grundigs, although the Concert Boy probably the best of them.
And as to the build quality......
Not overly taken by any of the Hunters; I currenly only own one (an earlyish one) but have owned most of the different varieties over the years.
For me it's been divide and conquer; I've gone from a collection of 500 of everything, to just a few I really like.
Oh, and no; I can't see that an Elac from a VHF Herlad will fit into a Sovereign, without major surgery.