Re: Do all amplifiers sound the same?

"c. leeds" <cleeds@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:flh8ee02src@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Steven Sullivan wrote:
>
>> In fact I rarely audition gear;... any such auditions are prone to 
>> sighted bias effect.
>
> It's a pity to forsake listening entirely simply because a dubious
result 
> is possible.
>
>> I put as much or more effort into speaker placement and room treatment.

>> It stands to both reason and practice that choice of loudspeaker, and 
>> attention to room conditions, makes *BY FAR* the most difference in
sound 
>> quality. It really is just that simple, once you jettison all the 
>> nonsense promulgated by audiophile culture.
>
> You don't cite an example, so I don't know what "nonsense" you're
talking 
> about. It's certainly nonsensical to buy audio equipment without 
> listening. But, some people buy a new car without driving it first,
others 
> buy clothes without trying them on. There's simply no accounting for 
> preference, which is all that you are stating.

Why is it nonsensical to audio equipment without listening first? There's 
only a point in listening to electromechanical transducers that "can"
sound 
different, and then, in the case of loudspeakers, only in one's own 
listening room. Electronics of modern competent design do not sound 
different so why listen?

Regarding clothes, do you try on underwear, ****rts, knitwear before
buying? 
Suits need to be fitted to the person so should either be made to measure 
and fitted, or if bought ready-made then at least tried, and other items 
like overcoats may need to be tried for comfort, but there's no analogy
that 
I can see between audio equipment and clothes. Cars, like outer garments, 
will need checking for comfort and fit, i.e. do the seats adjust 
comfortably, is the visibility suitable etc, so a test-drive is
appropriate, 
but again, what is the analogy between cars and audio equipment? A better 
analogy perhaps is wine, as the suitability of wine is entirely
subjective. 
One might buy a bottle without tasting, but would you buy a crate? 
However, 
the analogy with wine only applies to those components, like loudspeakers,

that *do* have a subjective component to their suitability, it fails in
the 
case of electronics that, excluding a few outre components like SET 
amplifiers, don't have a subjective component to their suitablity.

S.

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