Now the question is: how does one divorce the emotional attachment from the real audible differences? Well, you don't. I believe the phrase goes something like "music soothes the savage beast." Our listening experiences are emotional.

You say you want an honest critique and not a slap on the back. Whose standards are you going to trust. To quote another old saying (I'm full of old sayings tonight): one man's trash is another man's treasure. Honestly, who's to say what is the standard by which the sound should be judged.

Critiquing your own system or someone else's cannot be quantified like running the 40 yard dash - no stop watch. Moreover, this is not like auditioning for a band - either the notes are played correctly in time or not. There are no hard-fast numbers to report. Even if there are truly audible differences, how does one convey these differences in a meaningful, mutually understandable vernacular?

I'm not trying to argue against you, but I am simply posing the question of how this process of "honest evaluation" works. I don't know. Years ago, when I was less mature, if you said anything negative about my system we would not be on speaking terms. Today if you were to call my DIY baby ugly, it would be taken as a sign of friendship. I would appreciate the honesty. Is this a difference in my maturity level (being able to take the bad review) or is this my maturation in the hobby, for now I know there are lots of different tastes? Again, I don't know.

To be quite frank: if I build it, it sounds beautiful. It may have sonic flaws, it might not look pretty, but damnit I built it. Therefore, I automatically have a positive emotional bias to the way it sounds. Don't ever try to take that away.....(Insert virtual slap on back here)......Colin