Retired, 67. Last posting was research biostatistician. System worth $50,000 plus the electronics, which are home brew.
Beg to differ, Southern. My hearing is down 6 dB at 12KHz, and I can clearly differentiate VCap and RelCap teflons, and brands of premium resistors in a discrete-resistor gain stage volume control. My father, who couldn't hear much above 4 KHz, clearly preferred a Nakamichi tape deck to a Denon in a single blind experiment (sadly, as I thought, for one was to be a gift). A friend who was a shooter clearly differentiated digital and analog vinyl from the same performer, same era.
Are you sure you aren't underselling your abilities?
Beg to differ, Southern. My hearing is down 6 dB at 12KHz, and I can clearly differentiate VCap and RelCap teflons, and brands of premium resistors in a discrete-resistor gain stage volume control. My father, who couldn't hear much above 4 KHz, clearly preferred a Nakamichi tape deck to a Denon in a single blind experiment (sadly, as I thought, for one was to be a gift). A friend who was a shooter clearly differentiated digital and analog vinyl from the same performer, same era.
Are you sure you aren't underselling your abilities?