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My definitions of changes, FWTW.

Dramatic, night and day, gobsmaking: a truly major, transforming improvement in the system, one that ANYONE can easily hear, a change that you could detect from the next room blind just after walking in the door. (This happened to me when I went from AR3 speakers to Kef 105.2s.)

Big change: one that just about anyone with some experience in audio can hear instantly, can be identified easily in a blind test with 100% accuracy by many people, but not all. Might not be obvious from the next room. Might not be noticed in very casual listening. (For me going from the Arcam FMJ CD 23 to the Ayre CX-7e just gets into this category.

Significant upgrade: detectable by careful listening or listening for a long time. Others can hear it immediately if they are experienced or if you tell them what to listen for. Many average listeners might not be able to distinguish in a blind test. (The most I would hope for from an amp or preamp change)

Subtle upgrade: only apparent with careful listening or extended listening. Even with that, might not be identified in blind tests 100% of the time but much more than random guessing. Only experienced listeners would be able to hear it, and some (not true audiophiles!) would question whether it is worth the money. (Some electronics upgrades I have made fall into this category.)

Psychological upgrade: an illusionary change that results in the perception of a change in sound, the change being claimed to be anywhere from subtle to dramatic, but other experienced listeners may not hear it and the person claiming the improvement cannot demonstrate in any way that he or she can identify whether the change was made without knowing whether it was made. The most controversial upgrade. It unquestionably exists, though very few people will admit that it happens to them.

False upgrade: going from a piece of equipment not working properly to one that is. I wonder how many dramatic upgrades come from this. It wasn't the upgraded equipment per se that improved the sound, but switching to a properly-working piece of equipment that might not even be any intrinsically better.

With apologies to Dan Webster.

Joe

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