What does listening to a speaker really tell us?

My yardstick for evaluating any component really boils down to how much I "get off" on the music over an extended period of time. What else matters?

>If I understand them correctly some people are arguing that if a specific piece of equipment makes them feel good, then it must be good equipment.

But if it's "good" equipment and doesn't make you feel good, would you buy it? Seems to me it boils down to what your goal is in assembling your system. If it is to get the most neutral reproduction of music, you might make one set of choices. If it is to get the greatest pleasure from listening to music, you might make different choices. It's all about preference, as you say. Which is why I cringe whenever I see people asking what is the best such-and-such. There is no "best", or rarely so. There is only "preferred."

Well said, Boa2.

Bombaywalla, why do some people love SET amps? Are they the most neutral? I don't think so. But in some key areas, they may be more faithful to the experience of music.

I agree that you often can't hear those details in live performance. But if you could, you'd pee your pants and declare the venue the greatest in the known universe. So why not have the detail at home if you can.