Specifications VS Sound Quality

Since there is no way you can audition equipment, you have to go by what you read. Presently, I'm making some important and expensive for me upgrades, and partially, I'm going by "history" of the name, and is it currently in production.

"Herron Phono" is no longer in production, so that's been scratched off, but I have yet to find a replacement.

If the specs of two different amps are the same, and your hearing is not as good as it once was, you probably couldn't tell the difference in a blind test.

Even if a CJ amp and an ARC amp had the same specs, they would sound different, but not everyone can hear the difference.

Before I spend any money, I'm going to an "audiologist"; one must begin at the beginning.

mapman:

Understood. In fact, I'm fairly obsessive when it comes to researching when I feel an upgrade cycle approaching.

orpheus:

Price is the first thing I look at, because I don't have huge amounts of cash to spend.  This has the effect of dramatically shrinking the pool of potential purchases from the onset. Furthermore, as mentioned, I only purchase gear I can demo at home and return, if need be, minimizes options still further. Haven't found this to be a problem, though.  

millercarbon:

You are light-years beyond me in knowledge and experience.
I hope you'll indulge my naivete a little further...

Earlier in the post, you state:

"Technically, there is a level of analysis where the answer is yes. In terms of finding musically satisfying components however the answer is a big fat no.

The problem is it can often times take a great deal of understanding technical specifications combined with real world experience to get to where you understand just how unimportant specs really are".

So, how, exactly do you leverage your understanding when it comes to buying components? What does your buying process look like, if specs and listening are not involved?  This seems quite mysterious to me. 

Ages ago I relied heavily on specifications; that was when I was into SS. Once I discovered how much better tubes sounded, even when SS had better specs, I quit relying so heavily on specs.

Impedance is a very important spec for apparent reasons. Presently, I have plans on the drawing board that I don't think will include auditions. In the past, auditioning would have been the first step. Now that high end salons are no longer an option, I'll be relying heavily on past knowledge of "sonic signatures"; such as the difference between CJ and ARC, instead of auditioning; also the "Stereophile" reviews will mean a lot; preferably only "A" ranked equipment. All of that of course will depend on an "A" ranked bankroll, which is pending.

Since auditioning is absolutely out of the question, I will rely heavily on past knowledge, plus reviews, and only the most important specs. I've noticed that within a certain price range, specs are very close.

Fortunately, if the pending bankroll does not materialize, I'll remain comfortably in place. As a footnote, I noticed everything I own costs over twice as much now.

Speakers are the riskiest purchase without an audition, and specs will not tell you what a speaker sounds like. I've heard many of the best speakers that are discussed here, and they are all over the place when it comes to how they sound. Since I like the speakers I got, and I have back problems which makes wrestling with heavy speakers out of the question (setting them up and sending them back) The only option I have is to buy and keep, or leave them alone.

orpheus:

Looks like you've answered the question I'd posed to millercarbon.
The "crux of the biscuit", as F. Zappa might say, appears to be this: 

"Now that high end salons are no longer an option, I'll be relying heavily on past knowledge of "sonic signatures"; such as the difference between CJ and ARC, instead of auditioning..."

I'll assume you've gained this "knowledge of sonic signatures" by listening. 

Speakers are like acoustic guitars, I guess. Last fall, I spent nearly $1000 for shipping a handful of boutique acoustic guitars out here (CA) from various shops back east. Didn't like any of 'em. Got fed up and decided to just keep my mid-level Martin. If I ever upgrade my Silverlines, it will be to the current version. At least I know what sort of sonic signature to expect. 

Thanks for your helpful posts.