Quote Originally Posted by BobM View Post
I wasn't surprised at how quickly I saw posts about cables not making a difference, or how how pricy products are all sold by "shysters". But I am very glad that the thread didn't deteriorate into the typical argument of "yes it does" - "no it doesn't". So, trying to keep this on-track, here's my thoughts ...

(1) I think if you are looking to build a high quality system for audiophile playback the best bang for the dollar is in the used equipment market. Those high priced well regarded pieces of equipment from 2005 - 2010 are selling for half price or less.
(2) 50% + of an audio systems sound quality is dependent on the room. It pays handsomely to properly set up the speakers and try, as much as possible, to treat the room acoustics to optomize what you are hearing. There are countless articles on the web that will help you work through this.
(3) Another large part of "quality sound" is the mastering of the recording itself. Most mass market pop and rock music is over compressed, distorted, flat sounding, and not-dynamic (though it is "loud"). However, part of the emotional content of the music is in the micro and macro dynamics of the recording.
(4) You have to assess how you listen to music and build your system accordingly. If you use music for casual backgrounds you will get away with less. If you dedicate time to sit in the "sweet spot" and actively listen, you might become an obsessive audiophile. If your system does double duty for home theater and music then there is a balancing act. Build accordingly.
(5) Join a local audio club and attend meetings at members homes. Listen to what their system sounds like and make notes for yourself on what you like and what you don't like. You will learn a lot from the other members, and you will hear a wide variety of systems, from solid state, to tubes, to planer speakers, to horns, to vinyl, to computer auidio, etc. There's a lot to learn, but there are also a lot of people who are more than willing to talk about their experience and share their thoughts and let you listen to what they consider good sound.
(6) Most of all, enjoy the hobby. It's a journey not just a destination.
Great post. Considering the room as part of the system is definitely the way to go when getting the components. However, I don't think that quickly debunking items that have been proven both scientifically as well as with A/B testing to not make any sound quality differences, is a bad thing. It's a very good thing, as it will help the user build the best system that he has budgeted for. There's a LOT of snake oil in the audio industry. Thankfully, there are also a lot of articles on the internet that help debunk the junk.

And yeah - the source discs themselves obviously matter a lot. For example, Aqualung isn't going to be an audiophile experience on even the best system.