Does hearing the best in high end audio make your opinions more valid?

"It’s even better when they tell you that although x costs only 10% of y, it actually sounds just as good, or even better!"


Every now and then, I read similar statements. I may be unlucky one, but have never heard a system that sounds same or better than one costing much more. It does not have to be ten times more expensive, it can be less than that, but it seems that, overall, more expensive does mean a bit better. There can be a lots of listener bias in that, but still. Of course, there may be some overlap on the edges of price categories and different people may have different experiences. Does anyone have any example of gear that is as good as something costing so much more?

Many reviews describe gear as "punches way above its price" and similar. What it means to me is really that better sound became cheaper. It is not that it is better than it should be, but that others are too expensive.

calvinj,


That is all that really matters. I think it does not even matter if it sounds natural (I am not implying yours does not) as long as you like it.

If it sounds good to you, what else matters?

I think matching is really important as well. If you put the wrong high priced gear together it can sound like crap. If you match the rogh5 equipment with the right cabling in the right enviorment wammo you can have a system that sounds better than gear that a lot higher priced. 

Everyone's opinions here are shaped by their own experiences, ability to hear and listen, and personal preference.  All opinions are valid but an opinion is simply the articulation of one person's perceptions.  The problems arise when people try and interpret opinions as fact and then judge them on an absolute scale.  Nothing is ever resolved because opinions are subjective and personal, and not universally applicable.  

Regardless of what gear or speakers people have heard, and whether it is "the best in high end audio," which is a subjective statement in itself, I gain better context when reading the opinions of people who have their systems posted here.  Seeing the choices folks have made when purchasing gear, the care they have taken in assembling their systems and rooms, and understanding the types of music they listen to, tells me more about how they form their opinions than knowing they have heard expensive gear.