Better or Different?
 

Here is one for you...

We all wonder what change will bring in our Audio Systems, but is it better or just different? :scratch2:

Comment at will!

This is a GREAT idea for a thread, I have often wondered about this. It's one of the reasons I've gone to RMAF so many times: discover what else is out there, and what it's capable of. I don't always feel that the rooms do the gear justice, but if I hear something that impresses me, I can judge it in relation to what I do know: my gear, both in my home and at the shows.

I definitely get caught up in the rat race but lately I've been pondering this and thinking that I've heard my exact same gear at shows, and been super impressed at times. Maybe even more impressed than what I have. That in turn, points me to the room instead of gear. I probably need to concentrate on that.

In other words, I know I have great gear. Getting other gear will mostly just sound different, not necessarily better. My room is probably a bigger factor than anything else.

While I do understand the difference, to me they end up being almost one and the same. What "sounds good" is always subjective and can only be scored using comparative analysis as there are just too many variables to ever scientifically account for. Its also impossible to know what you dont know, so being a true audio is (or should be) a life long pursuit of exploration and happiness..... And probably the expenditure of mass amounts of money.. ;)