[felixscerri]

G'day all, please excuse my ramblings, but this is interesting to me anyway and it shows the complexity involved in accurate and repeatable listening.  How often do we feel the need to upgrade because we've become too used to and generally dissatisfied with the sound of our existing gear, no matter how good it is! 

I know I have!  For the last few weeks I've been exclusively listening to my newly constructed simple but quite decent PAIA phono stage, and whilst it is a simple full feedback op amp phono stage, it is quite good and pleasant to listen to.  However tonight after some rummaging through my drawers I trotted out my old 'reference' Elliott Sound Products P06 DIY phono stage that I built quite a few years ago. 

The moment the needle hit the groove and the P06 started playing music, its superior quality was obvious!  Whilst the PAIA sounded quite good, compared to the P06 it sounded a bit ordinary.  The P06 was full of sonic refinement, detail and musicality, and I remembered why I regarded this DIY phono stage so highly, yet I know that in a few days of listening to the P06 I'll likely be looking for something different despite the excellence of the ESP P06 DIY phono stage.  Humans are a funny lot, aren't we?  Yep!  Regards, Felix.       

[Early B.]

In a few days, you'll realize why you put the P06 in the drawer, and that's where it will return.

[felixscerri]

G'day mate, I sincerely hope not!  Don't you like ESP designs?

Regards, Felix.   

[smk]

Good point!

Sometimes I think we're influenced by reviewers latest & greatest syndrome. You ever wonder how it is that the vast majority of equipment reviewed is better & why reviewers have so many component changes. It seems reviewers swap equipment several times per year. Why doesn't reviewer use a component/system for 5/6 years so they how it sounds before updating. Is it because they don't pay attention to the initial purchase? Is sound really that much better or is it different?