Yo are right! The best "sum of parts", craftsmenship, and great customer service, wont guarantee good sound! my determing factor was PRICE! But i think, i will (would) still choose the BEST sounding (what i would believe would be better sounding) "piece" i could afford. Regardless of built quality. However, if you are spending "beaucoup" money? You should expect ALL of the above. Including the sound! Rgards!
Important Qualities Other than Sound
As audiophiles we are suppose to hold sound quality as the ultimate goal. While superior sound is extremely important, I also value reliabilty, low maintenance, reasonable physical size, how the equipment looks, costs, build quality, dealer support and the manufacturer's general reputation. At different times I have consciously chosen what I thought to be a lesser sounding piece of equipment due to one of the above factors. When you are evaluating a piece of equipment, how do YOU balance these other factors against overall sound quality?