Here's a measurement the spec sheets don't include.

How late do you stay up listening?

It sounds like a joke, but I've found it to be one of the most reliable indicators I know. When a system is doing what it should, you simply cannot turn it off. One more track becomes five more tracks. Midnight becomes one in the morning. You're not evaluating anymore—you're hooked.

That's not a placebo. It's your HiFi doing its job so completely that the rational part of your brain stops supervising and the part that just loves music takes over.

I've sat in rooms with impressive specifications and checked my watch. I've sat in rooms with modest gear set up with care and lost two hours without noticing.

The best measurement isn't on any instrument we make.

It's whether you're still there at midnight.