Agreed with Mrtennis.
The word "best" is so overused and misused, that its meaning is almost lost. To say that something is your favourite (i.e. "I like it best of all") is not the same as to claim that something is "the best" in absolute terms.
As I see it, audio equipment can be evaluated in two ways.
1. On technical grounds (i.e. objective criteria that is measurable and quantifiable)
2. On aesthetic terms (i.e. a subjective appraisal of the beauty of how something sounds).
Either approach is valid, and both approaches can be combined in order to render an opinion. However, one must accept the inherent limitation that aesthetics are subjective, thus opinions on such matters are relevant only in relation to the mind of the listener. Consequently it is improper to apply the word "best", in unqualified terms, to a subjective opinion.
Having said that, my favourite preamp is the Orpheus Two.
:)
The word "best" is so overused and misused, that its meaning is almost lost. To say that something is your favourite (i.e. "I like it best of all") is not the same as to claim that something is "the best" in absolute terms.
As I see it, audio equipment can be evaluated in two ways.
1. On technical grounds (i.e. objective criteria that is measurable and quantifiable)
2. On aesthetic terms (i.e. a subjective appraisal of the beauty of how something sounds).
Either approach is valid, and both approaches can be combined in order to render an opinion. However, one must accept the inherent limitation that aesthetics are subjective, thus opinions on such matters are relevant only in relation to the mind of the listener. Consequently it is improper to apply the word "best", in unqualified terms, to a subjective opinion.
Having said that, my favourite preamp is the Orpheus Two.
:)