Good to remember ... how to tell what sounds better

If my foot is tapping and my head is bobbing, then it sounds good. 

the point here is how best to decide what sounds better... 

one thing, one system sounding 'good' is a different conversation, a separate matter, a different bar

Tally ho this guy knows next to nothing with crappy gear.

@MC”I was lucky and broke out of this mold early on. Took my little stack of CDs with me, started listening to a McCormack DNA1, knew I found my amp when I noticed my list of audio tics was the last thing on my mind, I was just enjoying the music.”
       Exactly what happened to me when I heard the PAP’s. at the NY audio show. I could not leave the room as it was all about the music, and not even music I was familiar with. That said it all. It may have been interesting if the Moab’s were next door, but weren’t. Nothing to AB, like meeting the right woman, (OK, I’ll welcome the comments), it just hits you and you make the move, for better or for worse! 

Russ, the industry simply wants to sell you stuff. Like I said, sometimes the differences are outstanding and it is easy to choose over a relatively short period. Outstanding differences I can usually discern at the store and at isolated listening sessions. Fine details are not so easy especially with differences in recordings and program sources. After listening to a speaker for a while you accommodate to the sound. Most people think this is the equipment breaking in. It is not. It is your brain breaking in. This is a reality of science whether anyone here like it or not. Certain defects like an irritable upper midrange will persist but I usually can pick this up at first listening. Go to a dealer that can arrange rapid AB comparisons of speakers and see how easy it is to pick out differences between speakers that you would not pick out otherwise.