Dear Genesis168: +++++ " Numbers and numbers don't matter. " +++++
this is not what I try to explain in my last post. Your statement is to " dramatic " for say the least.
IMHO " numbers " always matter if you know where and how matters and its importance level ( your skills to interpret/translate what numbers are saying. ): where numbers makes " the differences "?, when you have the answers to this question you will understand the importance of numbers.
Of course that are " numbers " and " numbers ", some makes a difference, some did not and some are informative or just academic.
As an examples: we need numbers to make the cartridge/tonearm set up ( overhang or pivot to spindle distance. ), sensitivity/efficiency speaker level, RIAA eq. curve deviations, current power capacity on amplifiers, damping factor, room/speaker set up, etc, etc.
With out this kind of " numbers " we can't make/take and decide from different alternatives for the better.
Till today I still support that if we want to improve the quality performance level in our each one audio system one of the best way to go is: lowering distortions ( every kind ) in every audio link in the audio system chain.
In some of the audio links the " numbers " ( for accuracy levels, frequency range, THD, IMD, deviations, etc, etc. ) help a lot to decide what to do and you know what: our ears heard it.
Of course that " numbers " does not matters if what we are hearing is a poor and low quality level of sound.
I'm like you on the main importance with the quality level in the sound we listen through our systems and all my " ideas " and " adventures " that I take in my system ( changes. ) have as only target: improve its quality performance level and this IMHO you can't do it with out subjects as: accuracy and " numbers ".
I'm for a good sound in my ears but over this I always prefer a good accurate and " non-distortions " sound reproduction that only " good sound ".
IMHO I think that we should not be on these extremes: only sound or only numbers.
How good are our skills/knowledge levels to make " the right " blend/mixture on those extremes is what will define the quality level in each one audio home system.
Of course that as you posted: " We are free to try and make up our minds. ".
Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.