Why do Audiophiles feel the need...

I really have nothing to say about this topic but I did want to post something.

an opinion is neither true nor false. if someone owns a component it is still impossible to know what it sounds like. don't take my word for it. it can be proven, mathematically.

how useful is an opinion about a component one has owned ?

probably of some value. yet, there is a risk in taking opinions and acting on them,e.g., purchasing a component.

i think the most value from anecdotal reports is when there is a comparison between "a" and "b" .

for example, comparing the "sound" of two preamps gives a relative relationship between the affects of placing two components into a stereo sytem, without saying what each component sounds like.

i am going through the process of selecting a preamp. i am a little hesitant about asking for opinion about each of the preamps i am considering which are:

cj et2, audionote kits l2, art audio and gill audio preamps , cary audio slp 98 and audiovalve eklipse.

i am going to try to audition as many as i can rather than asking for opinion.

however, any comparisons between the affects of comparisons may help. perhaps if there were a consensus say, comparing the cary with an art preamp as to tonal balance, it might eliminate one of the products. unfortunately system dependence is a consideration.

the relevance of this to the thread is: owning the product does not necessarily make for more useful information, because an opinion has some probability of being true and false, and the probability is unknown.

i made an error in one of my posts. i mean to say: how useful is an opinion about a component from the owner of the component ? sorry for the error.

I find most opinions are useless. Your associated equipment may not be the same, your listening environment may not be the same, you may not hear as well, or the same, as what I hear. What you hear may sound yellow, where I hear purple. Only you can have the best opinion. The other folks mean well, but you may find their view doesn't meet your expectations.

Some dealers do the same thing. I've had a few dealers ask what I'm currently using and then tell me my amp or another component of mine "has to go" because it is dark, thin, or whatever derogatory comment is on the tip of their tongue. Most times when I've asked if they've actually heard the component that has to go they've admitted they have never heard one but are positive theirs sounds better! They probably spend their evenings reading the same unqualified opinions that this post refers to.