tom,
Your modded 02s certainly intrigue me. And your Audio neurology hypothesis sounds plausible. Especially in my case the 02s were my gateway drug in to high end audio, so I'm sure they made an impression on me. It's like the Quad ESL 57 phenomenon - many people who start with Quad 57s eventually give them up to chase a speaker that does what they love in the Quads, but without the limitations. "Quads but better." That's very much how I feel about the 02s.
Admittedly they are still a great place to visit, not to live (for me). Every time I put them in they show me something missing from whatever speaker I have at the moment. For instance the Joseph Perspective speakers are insanely high resolution, clear, grain-free - thoroughly modern sound without being anti-septic. When I put the 02s in I hear a slightly greater palpability and texture and density which I love. And the 02s stay in the system for quite a while, a week, two, three. But eventually the lack of refinement, the slight courteousness, compared to what I'm generally used to starts to show and back in go the more modern speakers.
