Perception

rvpiano:
"I don’t think I’m a unique case. So much of what we perceive in audio is controlled by our psyches."

Hello rvpiano,
     I think this statement from your opening post on this thread is a very good summation and a fundamental truth that most involved in our hobby have discovered themselves along our journeys, and a useful point for those that do not yet realize this truth.
     I believe that everything we perceive in the world throughout our lifetimes are controlled by our psyches. The high quality reproduction of recorded music in our homes is especially susceptible to our perceptions, IMHO, because our senses or feelings of what sounds good to us are so highly personal, unique and subjective. The reality that there are virtually an unlimited number of paths, when the various permutations of component choices along with other factors are considered, to achieve our goals of high quality music reproduction that doubts or insecurities about our individual choices and the overall sound quality results are likely inevitable.
     Even once we subjectively determine our constructed systems sound very good, it seems like it may be our human natures to continually turn our attentions to how we can somehow make it sound incrementally just a bit better. Some of our psyches will perceive this obsessive journey as a curse and others as a joy.
     I believe our psyches are not static entities beyond our control and that we’re all, ultimately, who we choose to be.  Personally, I’m more interested in enjoying good music reproduced by a high quality audio system than contemplating all the psychological mumbo jumbo and thoroughly understanding exactly why I enjoy it. I may be shallow but I’m just happy when listening to my music.

Enjoy,
Tim

rv,

We all have a reset button. When the mind gets too cluttered to function objectively, may be time to press it and start over anew.

Mapman,

That’s exactly what I’ve had to do.

As fate would have it the REPEAT button is often mistaken for the REFRESH button. ®️

Has it really been more than than 20 years ago the intrepid reviewer for Stereophile magazine, Shannon Dickson, opined after his coverage of CES, “most exhibitors cannot get up out of the noise floor?” I suspect that is probably true for most audiophiles, that they cannot get up out of the noise floor. History has a way of repeating itself, not refreshing itself. Take a look 👀 around. Yes, I know what you’re thinking - “My system sounds fabulous!”

mapman"We all have a reset button."

Speak for your self I am not a robot or computer and I do not have a "reset" button and if you do I feel very sorry for you.