When evaluating a piece of audio gear there are two schools of thought. Make a quick judgment or live with the device for a while and see how it feels.
Both methods have their good and bad points.
The quick method works well for me because it’s something I’ve trained to do over the years. Using a tried and true set of reference materials with a broad enough range of musical diversity, I can make a pretty accurate rapid assessment on a consistent basis. This method doesn’t work for everybody. Without proper training, mistakes are easily made from using such a small sample. The good news with this quick method is that our ear/brains don’t have time to adjust to differences…which brings me to the second method.
Spending good quality time with a new piece of equipment whether electronics, cables, or speakers has its merits. Instead of a rush to judgment that might have some folks anxious about missing important bits, the long and winding road of living with equipment has the advantage of thoroughness coupled with greater confidence in the decisions made. The bad news is the problem of maintaining impartiality. The longer we live with something more our ear/brains adjust to the quirks and mistakes to the point of sonic blindness.
We lose our reference.
Perhaps the most seasoned approach is a combination of the two: a quick evaluation noting any possible problems coupled with a longer term live-in period focused on compatibility with the noted issues.
In the end, it’s of course important to know what does and doesn’t work for you.
And even if you’re wrong, it’s fun having the luxury of trying out new gear!
