Think twice before concluding some thing sounds better

Mapman, I bet you are thinking of an upgrade.
I always focus on an entire sound picture, though certain aspects can be obvious right away. Fine tuning is another matter. And different is, well, different.

Ahendler
I always take several months to evaluate a piece of equipment. I have also found that AB tests lead you no where. I have very firm ideas what I want my gear to sound like and thats what I strive for. Buy the way your description of buying a tv is no different from how a lot of people buy stereos

I thought people bought stereos based on reviews and what they read on audio forums? The reason I mentioned TVs is to show that people trust their vision much more than their hearing. That’s why they can make a decision when buying TVs rapidly but are UNABLE to make decisions quickly for stereos due to a number of factors, including not knowing what to expect or what to listen for. Maybe we need an engineering matrix of audio parameters, weighted for personal preference. For example, some people value soundstage very high, others value it rather low. Ditto air, frequency response, etc. Then you could ascribe NUMBERS to what you're listening to.

IMHO, it can be a double edged sword. Sometimes the initial response is correct and it’s possible to over analyze as you listen and convince yourself it’s better when it’s not or just sideways. Rather than trying too hard to analyze the difference, I rely more on the emotional connection. Did I have a quicker and more intense desire to play the "air instruments" and play them like no one was watching? For classical, conducting the orchestra? Did my toe start tapping before I realized it happened?

Another vote for geoff’s last paragraph in his first post.

Wow, you actually read Geoff's last paragraph.  You are the man.

Jitter wrote,

"Wow, you actually read Geoff's last paragraph. You are the man."

Shouldn't you be standing out on a ledge somewhere?