I'm a 79 year old life-long audiophile (I grew up with a state-of-the-art mono system in my fathers house) and built my own system as a junior in high school. Later while in my first job out of college I took a two year course in sound engineering, and did high-quality amateur recording of my friend's chamber music group for over twenty years. I am also a jazz buff and have had the good fortune to be able to attend weekly jazz concerts in a small jazz club nearby. Over the years I have had too many systems to enumerate, ranging from low high-end when I was of restricted income, to reasonably high end when in better financial condition.
I tell you all this not because my viewpoint is thereby authenticated, but simply so you know what lies behind it. That viewpoint is this:
* The single most important thing: listen critically time-to-time while you are listening to live, unamplified music. By critically I mean the same way you would to a high-end system. Listen to the rattle of the snares, the fade of the cymbals, the percussive sounds of the high keys on a grand piano and the beat of the bass drum, the bowing and plucking of the string bass in various frequency ranges, the "body" and overtones of an alto sax or a trumpet, etc. Also note: when I close my eyes, do I hear "separate" instruments and divergent locations, or do I not.
* Secondly, spend some time studying the physics of sound propagation. Understand how square waves are generated and why and how room ratios affect them. Learn what the frequency ranges of instruments and voices really are, as opposed to what you may believe they are. Learn how and why and when different mic'ing techniques are used, and the strengths and weaknesses of each. Learn about material propagation or absorption of sound, and how room decor can mimic these attributes.
* Experiment. Take whatever system you have and try various recommended room placements (even if you make a mess of the room for a short while). Think about what you hear in light of your newfound knowledge. Try to identify the imaging and sounds and see if you can accurately trace them to their likely sources. Find out that "3 D" imaging has more to do with room setup and acoustics (as well as mic'ing) than it does with speakers.
* Finally, if desired, search for better components. My bet is that by this time you will probably be happier with what you already have. But find a dealer who in exchange for your dollars is willing to set up the components (particularly speakers) in a room roughly the size and setup you have found works best. If you can't find such a dealer, by used so you don't get hosed if you have to resell, and try each component or components for a month or two. ALL THE TIME, referring back to how close it sounds to what you hear in step number one (you are still attending concerts, are you not?)
Take these steps, and you will not have to have "heard the best" to know what is better.
I tell you all this not because my viewpoint is thereby authenticated, but simply so you know what lies behind it. That viewpoint is this:
* The single most important thing: listen critically time-to-time while you are listening to live, unamplified music. By critically I mean the same way you would to a high-end system. Listen to the rattle of the snares, the fade of the cymbals, the percussive sounds of the high keys on a grand piano and the beat of the bass drum, the bowing and plucking of the string bass in various frequency ranges, the "body" and overtones of an alto sax or a trumpet, etc. Also note: when I close my eyes, do I hear "separate" instruments and divergent locations, or do I not.
* Secondly, spend some time studying the physics of sound propagation. Understand how square waves are generated and why and how room ratios affect them. Learn what the frequency ranges of instruments and voices really are, as opposed to what you may believe they are. Learn how and why and when different mic'ing techniques are used, and the strengths and weaknesses of each. Learn about material propagation or absorption of sound, and how room decor can mimic these attributes.
* Experiment. Take whatever system you have and try various recommended room placements (even if you make a mess of the room for a short while). Think about what you hear in light of your newfound knowledge. Try to identify the imaging and sounds and see if you can accurately trace them to their likely sources. Find out that "3 D" imaging has more to do with room setup and acoustics (as well as mic'ing) than it does with speakers.
* Finally, if desired, search for better components. My bet is that by this time you will probably be happier with what you already have. But find a dealer who in exchange for your dollars is willing to set up the components (particularly speakers) in a room roughly the size and setup you have found works best. If you can't find such a dealer, by used so you don't get hosed if you have to resell, and try each component or components for a month or two. ALL THE TIME, referring back to how close it sounds to what you hear in step number one (you are still attending concerts, are you not?)
Take these steps, and you will not have to have "heard the best" to know what is better.