I’m a 64 year old road cyclist and my $2K Zipp carbon wheels shod with Michelin GP 5000’s II’s gave me a noticeable improvement . My $400 Loomis GLX rods gave me a noticeable improvement over my IMX rods . And 80 mg sildenafil gave me a noticeable improvement, in my depth of soundstage . Am I Pontificating ? No , the facts Man, just the Facts. BTW my first big concert was Rory Gallagher , Fleetwood Mac , and Deep Purple .
The Absurdity of it All
50-60-70 year old ears stating with certainty that what they hear is proof positive of the efficacy of analog, uber-cables, tweaks...name your favorite latest and greatest audio "advancement." How many rock concerts under the bridge? Did we ever wear ear protection with our chain saws? Believe what you will, but hearing degrades with age and use and abuse. To pontificate authority while relying on damaged goods is akin to the 65 year old golfer believing his new $300 putter is going to improve his game. And his game MAY get better, but it is the belief that matters. Everything matters, but the brain matters the most.