Use Your Own Ears

You're not stupid Ricred1, I've been "into it" for 25 years, no expert, just a learning experience.

A friend just listened to an all NAD setup with some average Totem floor standers and entry level AQ cabling, nothing fancy.

After the audition, the guy told my friend (in a nice way, still a little slap in the face) that he thought his system was more musically involving (sounded better, yes)

My friend humbly agreed and left shaking his head, called me on the phone, we agreed that not all high-end equipment is worth the asking price, only sometimes.

Since then, we talk about system matching and good music, he's changing out some equipment as I write this.

When a friend asks your opinion about their labor of love, how do you tell them politely without insulting, or ticking them off?

There's no way other than to be candid when giving your opinion, when asked.
I've been told by someone I trust that my system had too much high end energy and he was right. It just took someone else's ears to set me straight. For a moment, it stung, but both of them said the same thing and recommended some fixes and before you knew it, we were on to solving the problem. In fact, it led to what I have now and I'm all the better for it.

As to Ricred1's point, I concur and wish that I could have gotten what I now have at the start of this and saved a bunch of money. But then it wouldn't have been a hobby, just a wise and rewarding purchase. :-)

We should all be so lucky.

All the best,
Nonoise

I learned a while back when I thought I wanted the most accurate/detailed system (because I wanted to hear it if it was there). Turns out I spent more time listening to individual instruments and vocals saying wow that guitar/horn/drum etc sounds so real. With that I didn't hear the music. Only single instruments/vocals. Very sterile sounding when adding the music. No pRat. So I have to agree 100% with the title to this thread - USE YOUR EARS!! Decide if that is what I could listen to for a lifetime.

"It's not the price we pay for equipment, it's the music!" Amen to that. It seems I've increasingly seen that idea come home to roost time and again in my 40 years in this hobby. It's now beginning to strike me as fairly commonplace that people can enter into the fray at some moderate level of expenditure and, at some point after a while, can begin to feel that urge to do something more - that they feel like they're missing something, but they're not sure what. And I think for most of us it seems like it would then be the most natural assumption in the world to make from there - that, having already spent "X" amount, it would then almost certainly sound better if you spent more, which as we all know, can so often be quite true. But, surprisingly enough, just as often in this hobby you can actually spend less and wind up with more...! It may take time enough for us to realize that truth, but, in the end, I sometimes wonder if those of us who do, just may be the luckiest of all. I do believe it's likely worth running the risk of offending a friend, to be able to change their way of looking at things, sometimes. There is always what we are willing to settle for as 'satisfying' and our own level of complacency, as well...and (just like Nonoise and Rx8man say) sometimes a jolt to all that can be a good thing...! Use your own ears, indeed.

"and have owned everything from Klipsch to Wilson Audio"

You make it sound as though one is chopped liver and the other is prime rib.

I have heard a few Wilson speakers and owned one. There are Klipsch models I would take over some Wilsons on any given day.

Shakey