One of my usual tactics in these situations is to play something. Last night it was a new blu-ray, Batman: Assault on Arkham, based on the Batman: Arkham video game. It is one of the DC animated movie series (rated PG-13 by the way).
It has a very impressive soundtrack, and the powerful low frequencies over the BD menu shook the room a bit. Not things-falling-off-the-walls shaking, but subtle vibrations-you-can-feel shaking. I thought, "wow, why do I need to change this?" as I watched and listened. No, it didn't clear me of all curiosity about the pieces mentioned before, but it provides much-needed perspective and blunts, if only temporarily, the curiosity I have. Of course, playing a blu-ray doesn't involve a tuner or turntable, but the effect of a good demo can spread even to those somewhat since they are part of the system; "guilt" by association, in a way.
And if we're not careful it can become about the equipment. But last night, while the BD played, it was about the movie. A good sign.
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SOTA, Grado, SME, Van den Hul, Gingko turntable setup; Pioneer Elite LD, BDP; Sony OLED TV; Magnum Dynalab tuner, antenna; MIT S-video cable; Pangea HDMI cables; DVDO video processor; McIntosh SACD, preamp, power amps; Telefunken Black Diamond preamp tubes; Kimber IC; Transparent IC, PC, SC; Mirage speakers; PS Audio, Shunyata PC; Audio Additives RCA caps; Furman power conditioning; Sanus: racks
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