How often is your system "good"?

mward-

much will depend on one's location. Most of these reviewer types resides in our major U.S. cities. For those of us who do not live in those environments, our systems should be (at the least) good to excellent daily.

I listen during the hours of midnight to 0600 for best effect.
75% of the Nation is sleeping during these hours and not consuming so much energy thus allowing this kind of musical experience.

My guess is that reviewer would have had a whole different outlook if the Yggdrasil was encased in audio jewelry with a five-figure price tag. The price tag always puts a bias in one's head and a $2300 DAC automatically discounts it from being compared to the "state of the art" competition.

I have the Yggy. It replaced my four thousand dollar (1996 dollars) Theta Gen Va and it sounds better. The Theta was a contender back then and still holds its own today. 

After I've changed something it always sounds better. Then, mysteriously, it declines and declines and declines.

I'm constantly recovering from the last "improvement". But, over time, the system actually does get better, each high point being a little higher than the last. Except when it doesn't, and I have to go back to where it was the day before.

The one constant is that electronics need an hour of warmup. Before that, the system is harsh and uninviting.

In addition to mere "it's in your head" there's some tiny bit of evidence for actual psychosomatic effects. That is, the mind influencing your body to act differently.

It's been a very long time since I took Neurology but there are some muscles around the ear drum. If you have ever been in a situation where you were scared and MUST hear better, you may have heard them activate.

It is possible, but completely unstudied, that when audiophiles change something, they activate these muscles, improving their low volume hearing until their ears get tired and revert to normal.

Of course, you are free to disbelieve, but at least it's one plausible reason.

Best,

E

My system always sounds good, it is more of a matter of degree, or, good, better, best. That dgree is determined by my mood, choice of recording, time of day and ambient noise and distractions.