Does hearing the best in high end audio make your opinions more valid?

Geoffkait I kind of notice that you always bash the systems of the guys with well means. Quit hating. I wouldn’t spend the money that guy spent on his system but the music bought him peace and joy knowing that death was coming fast. He was an experienced high end dealer who had the means and experience to put a great system together and he did it. He put the right things together in the right enviorment with equipment based on his experience that worked well together. Look if you can  put a cheap system together that makes you happy then enjoy it. But don’t always crap on people that can afford more or spend more or want to spend more by always calling them fools. If they can put a system together at costs they can afford that allows them to enjoy the music more then great for them. I’ve tried a lot of stuff and heard a lot of stuff. The more stuff the better the opinion to me. There are just some systems in the high end that if put together right can reset your ears! If you haven’t listened then watch how you comment. Cost doesnt always equal better performance. But if you put a cheap system properly matched and an expensive system properly matched the more expensive one will sound better but how much you are willing to spend will determine if it’s worth it to you!

Will you share what your system consists of with us please?

calvinj, I think you have completely missed my point. I am not attacking anyone for having expensive systems. But simply having an expensive system or any system is not sufficient reason to draw conclusions regarding sound quality, which cables are the absolute best, how much people need to spend on their systems, what constitutes audio Nirvana or any of the other usual audiophile arguments. Or to claim that the opinion of folks with inexpensive systems don’t count.

I will not play your I’ll show you mine if you show me yours game for those reasons. It doesn’t prove anything. You can derive almost no information regarding sound quality from pictures of systems or lists of system components. There are myriad very expensive systems that sound horrible or at least very generic. A rich man has as much chance of obtaining audio Nirvana as a camel has of passing through the eye of a needle.

No....

(1) Without prejudice to anything below, the expression “best in audio” is usually interpreted singularly and thus uniquely (differently) by the beholder. Regardless of hobbyist or audio mag reviewer/reporter, it churns out a broad range compendium of a buzzilion conflicting anecdotal and heavily biased personal faves .

(2) Accordingly, there is no reference point for “best” in audio, and to search for that elusive term is a futile search for the Holy Grail, starting with the constant tension introduced by conflicting context:
(a) the “best” that the beholder has actually personally auditioned (a very limiting and distilled sample); versus
(b) the “best” in a particular price point strata

“Best” is a matter of opinion. I have listened to several 6 figure systems that IMO don’t  come close to equaling the satisfaction I get with my set up.
By non-audio enthusiast standards I have spent a fortune, but by “our” standards, its in the basic side. speakers retail for $15k, pre amp 4k, power amps 8k when they were new 11 years ago, cd/sacd player about 2k when new 14 years ago, TT is around 3k , etc.
My goal is to hear everything that is on the recording with the least amount of coloration, taking account that the room is a big ( if not the biggest) culprit of coloration.
On “greatest hits” albums, i can hear the different mics and production techniques of each song. I love to hear the difference as I enjoy the art.
 I’m so satisfied with my system,  I hope you find your version of “best” ASAP. 

Cheers!