A couple of points did peak my interest though and I will comment.

1. Among classical musicians, some of the finest artists have some of the most awful stereos, and I don't use that word lightly. Thinking is that they KNOW what the music sounds like in concert. They are only listening to the performance, the notes. Some of these folks can have a thoroughly satisfying musical experience by simply reading a score. I guess it says something to listening to the music or listening to the equipment.

2. Just of historical note: Virtually all of the playable Strads, Guanerii, Amati, etc. have been destroyed twice. Once in the lat 1800's and then again in the early 1900's. All of these instruments were rebuilt to allow them to play louder and to accommodate metal strings at a higher pitch. They sound nothing like what the makers intended.

Bob