Have you ever regretted ABXing?, How has it changed your feelings about your stuff? Options

[BearcatSandor]

By "stuff" i mean equipment and music?

Have you ever ABXed something and found yourself not enjoying it as much as you did now that you know it's not all you thought it to be? Has the opposite ever happened to you?

I don't have the set up to ABX sound files yet (i'm a Linux user and both options seem to be dead). After participating in this forum for only a few days and reading of others experiences with 24-bit vs 16-bit music i'm now looking at my 24-bit collection of DVD-As, SACDs and 24-bit Studio Master downloads and thinking "..Damn it?" with a bit of confusion. I don't feel as secure with them anymore. I thought i had the 'best' sound i could get which is always a goal for folks like me.

Conversely, i might enjoy my redbook CDs more now as i won't be thinking "well they aren't 24-bit :"( " and i might not be hearing deficits that aren't really there.

I'm not sure how to feel about that.

I'm sure i'm not the only one here who's gone though this. Some of you started out as 'audiofools' too, right? How did you deal with this?

In a sense i'm kinda feeling "No, i don't want to look up ABX testing for loudspeakers. I waited 10 years for just the right pair to come to me and i really don't want to know that my $2.5k Anthony Gallo Acoustic Reference 3.1s are 'the same' as a pair of BestBuy specials." That's a bit of an exaggeration given how different speakers can be ...at least i think it is.

I'm uncertain. Honestly, i think i'm changing quickly and looking for support.

So how did you deal when the ABXing didn't work out how how you hoped it might?

Thanks

edit: Brought it back on-topic a bit.

This post has been edited by BearcatSandor: Nov 3 2010, 21:59

[mixminus1]

Oh, I don't think you should regret buying the Gallo's one bit - I can assure you that there is nothing at Best Buy that *looks* anything like them.

Loudspeakers can be much more than just transducers - they can be fine furniture, or even art.

For instance, I'll never be able to even dream of affording them, and likewise I'll probably never see (and hear) them in person (I believe the only way to do that is to fly out to the factory in Maine), but I think the Rockport Technologies Arrakis loudspeakers look absolutely stunning, and that's just from seeing pictures of them on the Rockport website...of course, for around $150K, you'd hope they sound pretty good, too.

[Northpack]

I'll probably never see (and hear) them in person (I believe the only way to do that is to fly out to the factory in Maine), but I think the Rockport Technologies Arrakis loudspeakers look absolutely stunning, and that's just from seeing pictures of them on the Rockport website...

Quote from the website: "the Arrakis transcends the boundary of believability"



I wish all audiophile companys would be that honest about their products....