what percentage of us really knows sound

Interesting that the OP focuses on insufficient bass.

The funny thing is that I find the opposite of Juan - many high end systems have too much bass. (For the record, so does many an Aiwa Boom Box.) A lot of speaker systems substitute quantity (of output) in the mid/upper bass for true deep bass extension.

On top of that, room interactions usually create a hump in the mid/upper bass that drives me nuts. You don't get this effect in a performance space, but listening rooms are almost always small enough to create this problem. It's why I moved to room corrected subwoofers. Since relatively few people correct for this (digital correction or hemholtz devices - like a bass buster), it's curious that Juan's issue is the opposite of mine.

Also curious - I, too, spend about an hour a day with a guitar (usually an acoutic archtop for jazz and western swing), so my reference is quite similar. It really points to the original question:

What % of us really knows sound?

The answer is that all of us are sensitive to something or another and many of us disagree as to what is "right". Personally, I hold Harry Pearson responsible. There is no "Absolute Sound" out of a stereo system, only a rough approximation limited by - in addition to the character of the system - the room and the recordings. In the end, there is only an illusion that is convincing (to one extent or another) in one way or another.

Just MHO.

Marty

As to the money thing - it's capitalism, baby!

You want to put Wilson Alexandras (purchased with 8 different credit cards taken to the max) in your 300 sq. ft. rented condo - that's your choice. You may have to deal with certain unpleasant consequences down the road, but so does the guy who bought wine or cars or.... Audiophiles aren't really unusual in this regard. For every responsible saver out there, it seems that there are three who are less cautious. And for the female equivalent, start counting the shoes in your significan others' closet.

BTW, Polk, good call on the gold, but do bear in mind that people lose money on investments, too. You might need patience (and patients, too, if you're a doctor), but skill and a little luck help a lot.

Marty

I've heard cheap and expensive systems sound good and bad. Everybody's ears are different, we like different types of music, it might be all we have (car system), etc. I think if we really like the music, we take what we can get and enjoy.

To start off I like my system!
BUT to paraphrase Zen Master Suzuki: My system is perfect as it is and there is plenty of room for improvement.
I agree with Juan, Have not heard a lot of people's audio systems BUT most of those were at best so-so, MY opinion. What is worse, in my view, is most systems in audio stores are at best no better, even in the "special high end" rooms.
Trying to tease out what it is in a system that allows one to hear things the way you do and what is just fluff or extraneous is blessedly hard work.
My system is for me, not to impress anyone but to get me nearer my music indeed.

Well we haven't had a thread like this in a while; which is a good thing.==,Oh, and don't we just love it that we can post our opinions;no matter how many folk we step on???
Surely,as enough have pointed out,we all pay our money and have different tastes,ears,budjets,rooms and such.
I did own Merlin MM's and sold them for what I paid;pronto.Just not my cup of tea.---Or, I like that mid coloration and more percieved bass,in room.--Only because I owned them do I trash the Merlins.--Course, violin's don't get that low.
As a guy whom plays an instrument; I have no answer for that. I do play the kazoo,however.
The system I heard at a freind's house was my first recognition of what my system lacked (back in the late '70's's)As best as I remember this is what he had: Lynn tt. Rosewood cart. Mac. ss stuff and I think the brand is Advent 1+1 for speakers.--This stuff just blew me away. For years this was my goal.
Here's what I have now; so any, so inclined, can pp in MY cornflakes: Meridian 808-i2 Rowland 312 Sophia 2's Tara Zero Gold ics Omega speaker wires. Audience T-6 for the conditioning,'cause I live in a 95 unit complex with its horible power.--Spell-check is down so this post shows me at my normal intel. level.
So,anybody can come over. I have ear pluggs and asprin.