Is it important to long demo or own HIGH END gear to have a fair accurate view about it?

Most of us "seasoned audiophiles" here have developed pretty sensitive antennas over the years and can do a fairly comprehensive evaluation of a prospective audio component in less time than it takes to do an oil change at Jiffy Lube.

But, there’s no substitute for a long-term audition at home when all the factors come into play. Resonant frequency of vessel holding preferred beverage, breed, size, and weight of dog at our feet, cushion material and height of favoite listening chair, orientation of slats/grain of flooring materials. You know, all the other stuff.

Being dealers didn't make us smarter. We just had a bigger toy box to play in. And, the opportunity the frolic a little longer before someone called a timeout. Sometimes we even got paid to play. Not a bad gig for 40+ years.