How do you know when a stereo sounds good?

I had about a ten year period about 25 years back or so where I made impulse purchases without doing proper homework and my system sound quality suffered. Learned my lesson. I am pretty good at resisting impulse buys these days but the urge is always there to just go nuts sometimes so who knows what the future holds.

The worst sounding system I ever heard as far as expensive gear that sounded bad as opposed to the cheap stuff that is typically more suspect was in a very high end NY shop. Luxman driving Peak Consult. Uggh. It was not good. Something probably awry but the salesman was happy to demo it. In another room there was a VAC/Magico setup that was the bees knees. Go figure! Different strokes?

It sounds good when you forget that you are listening to a sound system, and just get lost in the music.

It sounds good when you forget that you are listening to a sound system, and just get lost in the music.

That happens more often in my car than anywhere. Probably the result of there being no distractions (other than driving of course).

So you're the one.  Move to the right.  The left lane is for passing not camping lost in the music.