Don't get it, why anyone would ask others "what sounds best"?


As a relative new comer I still continue to wonder why 'audiophiles' continue to ask for opinions on what sounds best. Best sounding amps, best sounding speakers, best sounding cables, and on and on. Everyone has their own opinion, why don't you people put on your ears and listen for yourself and decide what sounds best to you?
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As a relative new comer I still continue to wonder why 'audiophiles' continue to ask for opinions on what sounds best. Best sounding amps, best sounding speakers, best sounding cables, and on and on. Everyone has their own opinion, why don't you people put on your ears and listen for yourself and decide what sounds best to you?


This is the least of it. This at least almost makes sense. Asking another person what they like, it is kind of like asking what is a good restaurant? You have no idea what that person likes. They may be vegetarian and telling you all about this great place serves nothing but lawn clippings and seaweed. Usually when this happens they are equally clueless and never bother to mention, "Of course this is all vegan food no one in their right mind would ever eat you have to be mental." So you go and .... 

My wife actually did this. Dragged me into this great new ice cream parlor in town. I went because, how can you screw up ice cream? I'll tell you how! Stock zero normal ice cream flavors. Instead have only flannel, lentil, lavender. I am not kidding. People were actually buying this stuff. I asked for a sample just to be sure. Flannel ice cream it turns out tastes exactly as you would imagine. Stick a flannel blanket in your mouth suck on it like that kid in the cartoons.   

There's audio gear heads just as bad. Some of these guys, they swear up and down imaging does not exist- except with their magical speakers that have wonderful imaging no matter where you are in the room. Probably image even if you are in a different room. Probably the imaging I'm hearing from my speakers is an artifact thrown off and projected through space all the way to Redmond where I am hearing it and thinking its mine.  

Who knows? Point is at least these are people. There is some small chance every once in a while another person has a similar experience and they both get something out of it, jump to all the wrong conclusions of course, but at least they get something out of it.  

So you see this at least makes sense, kinda sorta. 

What I don't understand is all these people asking what should I get for my component? Instead of asking another person what restaurant should I go to, these people are asking the food what it should go with! Nonsense on stilts. Happens all the time. But, why?!

(My wife informs me, Lavender is gone. Replaced with Balsamic reduction!)
It's easier for you to listen than me. That make sense?

Then I can narrow down what I want to listen to for a final test drive.. 

The older I get, that approach is starting to make REAL good sense to me. VERY little I will ever buy again anyway.. Room treatment.. pretty low cost items vs improvement dollar spent.. My gear less repairs.. I'm done.. Crazy good deals I don't pass up.. Mac gear is a real passion of mine. Slow running women too.. :-)
«Dont give a fish to a man, even a big one, teach him how to fish...»-Anonymus

Dont give a man an upgrade, teach him acoustic....




I must admit, MC usually has a good answer for most things, somehow quite adept at going other places too. ohm, you in addition are quite good at the conundrums. It is easier for me to listen, but alas it's still with my ears. Rarely does the poster narrow the field by mentioning 'I like the sound of XXX  power amplifiers, or XXX speakers really sound good to me. The only way it can work is as if the poster and the responded know what each other prefer. I just couldn't justify spending thousands of dollars on a consensus. Guess you could always sell it and start again. 
P.S. ohm, from reading your post, we have some similarities. Your opinion could matter to me now I know a few of your preferences. ;)