How many levels are there?


We high-enders are forever taking things to a new level. Cleaning our vinyl with SludgeGone takes us to a new level. Changing interconnects takes us to a new level. Installing tube traps takes us to a new level. Someone observed the other day that changing from glass-based to ceramic-based fuses took him to a new level.

My question: How many levels exist? Can they be quantified? Is it possible to develop an audio quality scale?

Twice in the last week, I've read reviews (different venues; different reviewers) that noted that various tweaks were sonically "equivalent to a cable change." This suggests some internal quantification.

Hmmmm...some people find a cable change pretty significant. Maybe we need a smaller unit...the improvement rendered by a really small tweak, like changing your spikes from steel to titanium. Let's call that a TWEAKLE.

Let's see....

Ten "TWEAKLES" equals one "CABLE'QUIV" and ten "CABLE'QUIVS" equals one LEVEL? Would that be about right? Let's just call them Twees and Quivs and Levs, for short.

If this works, we can be much more helpful to each other in resolving our perennial audiophilic conundra. "Well, Kelly, I'd say those new Sovteks bumped things up by at least half a Lev." "No way, dude, they aren't worth more than a few Milliquivs." "You're right, after I listened for a few days I realized that they didn't make a Microtwee of difference.

And how many Levs in a Nirvana?

Inquiring minds wanna know....
bishopwill

Showing 1 response by garfish

Bishop; as I've made upgrades to my stereo system over the last ten years, I give each new "level" reached a numerical designation, eg I started with "Stereo Rig #1" (SR#1) which was a $250. boombox (each upgrade had to be "significant"). Now, 10 years later I'm at SR#19 (and about $40K), but still can't see the "TOP". It may be like climbing Mt. Everest and being just 100 ft. from the peak, but still unable to see it 'cuz a helluva snow storm is ALWAYS going on.

Your proposal has merit-- if you can define your terms in an absolute way that makes sense to all us audio geeks-- seems like that's what the "Objectivists" want too, but it's not presently possible. Cheers. Craig