Judging instinct on audio

[firearm12]

Hi friends,

It happens a lot to me that lets say an amp, a dac, a speaker, i find it so exciting at first listen, like sold out on it but slowly as time passed, find out that it was not what I was looking for or its not that good and sometimes also vice versa happens, things look dull and normal at first listen and slowly it grows on you and you realise the worth. This means sometimes we are not very clear on what we want I think. Does it happens to you guys also? What is your preference and what things you look for while choosing audio equipment so that you are sure you are satisfied in long run, does it come by experience, it must be, I always get so confused.

 

[prem]

I have pretty much never listened to any piece of equipment I have ever bought. I read up a lot, talk to owners and go by my gut feel. So far in 25 years it’s not failed me. I have always got at the minimum what I expected.

 

[firearm12]

I have pretty much never listened to any piece of equipment I have ever bought. I read up a lot, talk to owners and go by my gut feel. So far in 25 years it’s not failed me. I have always got at the minimum what I expected.

That's quite interesting, without any auditions totally. sometimes when I audition a product, I get it wrong and when I go with my gut feel i find it suits me more as my ears more as get used to it.

 

[prem]

When you audition you are listening to components you don’t know, in a room you don’t know. Not much you can figure out. If home audition is possible, that’s a different game and highly recommended.

 

[sound_cycle]

I read up a lot, talk to owners and go by my gut feel

I've had to "triangulate" rather than audition practically all my audio purchase (because auditions were not possible, and the ideal audition for me would in my room from my chair with my rig which is not happening). The first attempt was downright disaster but somewhat better since

ciao
gr

 

[prem]

I guess it comes with experienceYou learn how to read in between the lines. Also you build a circle of friends and reviewers whose ears you begin to trust because they have similar listening tastes.

 

[JayaRaa]

Usually, it is the hype that lets you down. A certain brand/model is talked/written about so much that one gets sucked into believing it & that is why when one hears the same, more often than not it is an underwhelming experience as preconceived notions are already in place.
Another thing is the mental frame of mind, which most of us unfortunately do not have the luxury of listening to gear more often than not without having any stress in the background. This is a very important factor that also plays its role in us wither liking or disliking something.

 

[heliumflight]

@firearm12 , my wife has a very good instinct in judging audio.

 

[liverpool_for_life]

[...]my wife has a very good instinct in judging audio.

Ha ha. As the wise old saying goes: When it comes to audio, it is better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission!

 

[soundbuff]

I have long crossed the line of being forgiven. Just do it, fait accompli...
But more seriously, in India we often have little choice but to buy on reputation. I have been lucky in having had home audition for some of the things I have bought. With digital sources this is very valuable. However if there is one equipment that I would not like to buy without listening, then it is the speakers. Not because they are good or bad, but because you wont know how they match the rest of your kit.
On the question of 'instinct', I think with experience you learn to know what to listen for not in terms of detail and sounds but broader less tangible qualities. I tend to look for balance, composure and involvement, and these are very difficult to put a finger on.