What do you think about this statement

Good and bad are opposite sides of the same coin! It comes down to taste and system matching!

A Naim system does certain things very well and doesn't do other things. So it depends on what your friend finds pleasing! A Naim system has propulsive bass, a warm midrange, and is quite dynamic.

An ARC system depending on the setup will throw a much better sound stage, and will have depth to the image. However the bass and dynamics may not be as force full.

So it comes down to system matching and preference it is possible that the ARC system was not well matched to the room or the speakers and the Naim was, who knows, but the point is moot, people will like what they like and sometimes a different sound is what that person was craving.

"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so" - Shakespeare

"There is no best, or most musical, or anything...

Enjoy what you have."

Well said. I came from a full Linn system (which is very much in the same vein as Naim's sound) and now have an ARC pre with a smattering of other brands.

I prefer my new setup more-so than my Linn - to each his own.

If you like your system - just enjoy it.

Don't let others opinions undermind your own.

It's ALL taste at this level. The great thing about Audiogon is that you can by used or at least depreciated components, try them out, and sell what you don't like.

David

"So, if I said I prefer an all JVC/Bose system to an VAC/Von Schweikert system, y'all would just chalk that up to personal preferences?" In some/most cases - yup. If I wore hearing appliances that still could not produce something where I can differentiate between the two (and 'specially if someone was giving me the JVC/Bose combo as opposed to my buying the other for that case) then that would be a personal (and valid) preference. At least that combo produced something I could still experience and potentially enjoy. It's not always a tin ear - it might be a plastic & semiconductor ear, etc. Or, it really could be a personal preference and y'all know there's just no accounting for taste - either yours or theirs.

I have to say the best system I ever heard was a Naim system. It was about $60k but in my experience I've never heard anything better.

regards, David