I do agree that one can enjoy the hobby without a ton of cash, however, to be able to say I like this amp over that one is more achievable with more financial means, but I am all ears on why I am wrong.
You’re wrong because you don’t need any money at all. Because you don’t need to buy anything to be able to say why you like one amp over another. Because all you need is to be able to first hear, and then describe, the differences.
The way you get there, I already outlined some steps you can take. Some. Not all. Not by any means. Those are all good steps but there are many more.
Take any component, amp, CD player, turntable, speaker, I don’t care, any component. Put something different under it. Blanket. Magazine. Book. Wood. Metal. I don’t care. Anything. Listen before and listen after. Listen real close. The sound will not be the same. How is it different? Attack? Decay? Focus? Dynamically? Subtle details better or worse? Certain instruments stand out more or less? Which ones? How? In what way?
All these same things you are hearing with these seemingly silly tests, these same exact things are what you are listening for in judging the difference between tube and solid state, between a Pioneer and a Pass. Its all the same sonic characteristics. If you think it takes money to hear these differences, if you start buying gear without first having learned why and what to listen for, you might as well not have the money, you might as well light it on fire and at least enjoy the flame and maybe get some heat out of it.
Another good one, free, take any one of your IC or speaker cables, switch it around, listen to it going the other way. Couple things you will learn. Big one being how many guys will spend hours and hours arguing something like this it takes like 5 minutes to settle. They’ll devote the hours, but not the minutes. Don’t be "that guy."
Another good one, free, take everything apart and wipe all the connections real good with a clean dry cotton cloth. Use alcohol if you have it but you learn just as much with plain dry cotton.
Some maybe all of these will be very hard to hear at first. When you do hear a difference it will be hard at first to say just what it is that’s different. That’s the whole point. You want to be able to say you like one amp over another? Then learn to say how you like clean contacts over dirty. Cables going one way over another. Elevated cables over ones laying tangled on the floor. Warmed up system over cold. Night over day.
Go and listen. You will see.
