Life is too short to buy someone else's favorite stereo gear

who does that? There are so many ways to hear what you like before buying.

Right? But some of the questions and arguments here make me worry this point is not clearly or universally understood. :)

Please make a list of the different ways to hear what you like without buying. I find this very hard to do in my situation.  I'm sure many others have this problem too.  I'm particularly interested in the good stuff, not lower sound quality stuff.

Hey @tomcy6 

I don't mean people buy without listening at all, what I mean is that they take the opinions of others with far too much importance. Hope that clarifies.

Best,

E

Listening before buying is not always possible indeed.... And anyway no electronic components can be evaluated in the same manner in the different mechanical embeddings, in different acoustical fields, and in different electrical grids...And no audio system can sound the same in a showroom and in your house...If I can say that without offending him, erik_squires is right on that, but like I just said not just because our taste are different....

" The opinion of others help others first " Groucho Marx

Is this a koan? If not, I don’t get it. If so, maybe not the right venue.