Guys, I am finally coming to understand that those who hear what their system is telling them are really hearing what their system is telling them. I, or you, can't tell them something different in any meaningful way.
Guess what, my system, to me, on some days sounds exquisite, and on some days, turn it off. My mood, the weather, my cat's mood, and more all influence how I reach to what I hear.
Right now I am trying seriously to differentiate between two different seriously outstanding DAC filter circuit prototypes. To be honest, at this point I cannot figure out which, if either, is best. Personally, I don't think break in has any effect at all, except for short term break in for vacuum tubes and speaker cones. Brand new units (I listen to every one) sound to me exactly like they are supposed to, and identical to my long term and very well broken in shop samples. However, on a day to day basis, the two competing DAC filter designs keep changing, to my ears, slightly. They are running neck and neck with no clear winner yet. Both are better than our previous less expensive production models, but I can't really verbalize why.
If your system is sounding better to you after months of use, great. Enjoy it. Just don't keep it past the satisfaction guarantee time limit in the hopes that it will get better.
I still think Jim Winey's advice that if you can't hear it in the first three notes, it is not a useful improvement, is worth considering too.
Best regards,
Frank Van Alstine
