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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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In Reply to: Full of questions posted by JohnE on March 31, 1999 at 16:20:45:
>>pain, and probably a decrease in life expectancy<<Well. Maybe not life expectancy, but certainly finances.
I have a really tough time doing critical listening of swapped equipment myself as well. Stress. I don't enjoy AB tests, and I don't enjoy being forced to make choices if I don't think there is enough information. So I flatly refuse to make decisions for at least a week (usually a month).
It is easy enough to hear a gross difference, but not a subtle one.
A big difference, or even the appearance of a big improvement, does not necessarily mean that the widgit is "better." (My standard for better is live unamplified music, and sometimes it takes a while to jog my memory of a particular performer.) And I cannot even count the times I've heard something and thought "Wow! Isn't that better." only to realize a few days or weeks later that it wasn't really better, just different and maybe even worse.
So now I plug in a new whatever, and listen to it for a while. Then I form an opinion as to whether I like it (or even prefer it). I actively resist early decisionmaking (unless there is a problem with the particular piece of equipment that makes it unacceptable). Sometimes a new component will necessitate other system/room changes to give it a fair chance. After my set evaluation period, I may or may not swap in the old component to do a comparison.
BTW, cheap patch cords are not exactly hateful. A pair of $2.99 RCAs are probably the most cost effective component available. However, since cables have different values I think it is worth experimentation to find preferences.
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Follow Ups
- Re: Full of questions - Jim Willis 07:19:01 04/01/99 (0)
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