Think twice before concluding some thing sounds better

so right Mapman.....   one needs time to hear if the new sound is right for the listener....also if attention is given to the new sound which masks the warts that may be lurking.

Mapman said: " I think there is a limit to what anyone can hear in total and at any instant we focus on or hear certain things more than others. Then our focus changes over time and we hear what’s there differently with a different focus. Even when nothing at all has changed really in what is being played. It’s like looking at a picture. You can take the whole thing in initially then you tend to focus on different content at different times. "

I am experiencing that now trying to determine if I really hear a difference some new ICs do or do not make.
Listen to A, concentrate on everything at once, wait! No I can't. OK try Base guitar, vocals and cymbals.
Listen to B. The bass extension seems better, the cymbals really shimmer; but the vocal seems more recessed.
Back to A. The vocal is about the same! why didn't it sound that way the first time? The cymbals really shimmer here, too. I do think the bass is more tubby, but let me hear B again.

I'm afraid I'll break down the input connections from changing so much.

The tomorrow the differences may be clear and indisputable...for about 30 minutes.

There is a fine line between fascination and obsession.

Several months back, I was reminded of the importance of adequate warm up of each component when critically comparing amp/component A to amp/component B.
When I moved to an area with a somewhat unstable power grid that my Krell did not agree with, I put into service my standby Adcom that did better manage the power quirks. After moving to a new location with a stable power grid and into a bit larger home with a larger and better listening space, I decided it was time for some upgrades. My first new addition was a pair of Maggie 1.7s to help satisfy my old love for electrostats and ribbons. After doing some room treatments and, you know the drill - move speakers in, move them out, toe them in toe them out, until, suddenly, everything just comes together and sounds right. I later had the opportunity to use a friends Ayre, Evolution V-5xe power amp for a few wonderful weeks. During this time I decided to do an A/B between my Adcom and the Ayre. The first listen was a slaughter. The Ayre sounded wonderful - deep, wide, detailed and smooth. The Adcom, by comparison, sounded awful - a bit harsh, forward and edgy on female vocals. I thought - "Wow I don't remember the Adcom ever sounding that bad, maybe it's only that the Ayre sounds that much better". When I came back many hours later that evening (everything left on and warming) and gave another listen, the magic of the Adcom was back. Don't get me wrong, it still wasn't quit on par with that beautiful Ayre, but reasonably close. My conclusion was: The Ayre had been either in standby or full on for the past couple of weeks and the Adcom had been off and unplugged during that same period of time and then warmed up for only a couple of hours when put to the test. While a two hour warm up was substantial for my tubed pre-amp and cd player, it wasn't nearly enough for the Adcom. My point in all of this is that we sometimes ignore the importance of adequately warming of all equipment before critically comparing one to another and seldom, because of risk and cost factors, can a audio studio/shop leave rooms of equipment running, or even in standby, 24/7. How long a particular piece of equipment over another has been warming in a audio studio is sometimes arbitrary. Always best, when you can, to audition in your own environment and under your own control. If that is not an option, discuss your concerns with a trusted dealer and set an audition time when he/she and you can be sure criteria is met.
Happy listening,
Jim  

bharralson7740, I like your post dated 1/13/17 it is refreshing, apparently you must be fairly new to audiogon to make this much sense. Anyway you are correct, music is like a time machine taking one back to a time and place. On the other side of the coin coming home to a good sounding system is like finding the proverbial oasis in a vast desert.