What is a cost effective way to level match, for comparing different hifi components?

i think the op is asking a fair question, a somewhat technical question, he is doing something smart, which is to get his comparison process sufficiently rigorous so as to yield a result he can feel good about, he can trust

i remember as a 19 year old in providence r.i., working for one of the hifi retailers on weekends to make pocket money as a college student ... one of the well worn, ’experienced’ salesmen there kinda sorta took me under his wing, showing me what’s what in world as he saw it - the store had switching panels to connect turntables or other sources, to amps/receivers, to speakers, and then there was a volume adjuster

the guy boasted that he could get most anyone to buy system a over system b, by just making one play a touch louder than the other ... which he then demonstrated on a number of occasions

i’ll never forget that...

Acknowledging the importance of level matching when comparing source components is a sign of a good listener.

+1 @tvad
If you don’t understand the importance of level matching when comparing source components, you need a new hobby!

@jjss49 Yep…… surprised the snot out of them when i picked the Infinity Qb over the louder JBL -50.

and again with the Onkyo A-5 ( class A up to 5 watts ) vs a Nikko

and again with a Denon 790 over a Technics

and lastly the Grado over a Shure.

So while  Albert was pouring over whatever drivel Julian H was pushing, i was busy…listening..

1978, fun

My roommate at prep school had L110… now there was competition….but not for the deserving EMIT tweeter…