@jerry2021 You're always evaluating a system... and how different components sound within it.
I personally auditioned a number of different DACs at the same time within my system and did indeed hear differences, as did a blinded co-listener. We both agreed on the winner, which wasn't the most expensive or the cheapest. I did not level match though, so maybe we just both picked the loudest (or softest, or whatever).
If you can't hear the differences, there's no reason to chase the dragon, but that also doesn't mean that others aren't hearing them.
People on this site like to state that product X is better than Y and pretend that's always the case, when in fact X was better than Y "to their ears in their system (and in their room)."
In your system and to your ears, X = Y. There's nothing wrong with that at all.
I personally auditioned a number of different DACs at the same time within my system and did indeed hear differences, as did a blinded co-listener. We both agreed on the winner, which wasn't the most expensive or the cheapest. I did not level match though, so maybe we just both picked the loudest (or softest, or whatever).
If you can't hear the differences, there's no reason to chase the dragon, but that also doesn't mean that others aren't hearing them.
People on this site like to state that product X is better than Y and pretend that's always the case, when in fact X was better than Y "to their ears in their system (and in their room)."
In your system and to your ears, X = Y. There's nothing wrong with that at all.