‘Golden ears’ are a myth. No one is born being able to pick out what makes one speaker better than another, to know when one component doesn’t work with another or to identify that obscure oboe passage that’s just about audible under the strings.
It takes practice and attention. But, above all, it takes confidence. And the good news is, if you have that confidence you’re already well on the way to being able to listen like the professionals.
Follow these simple tips when you’re next demoing a piece of hi-fi equipment – be it a pair of speakers, an amp, a CD player, cables or anything else – and you’ll leave knowing you’ve given it a fair test.
You’ll be listening to your own collection on this system, after all – so ditch the demo CD the dealer tries to spin and play something of your own. It doesn’t matter what – as long as you know it really well. If you listen to more than one type of music (there’s more to life than Peruvian thrash-metal, after all), take discs that cover your whole listening gamut, and make sure you give them all a good couple of tracks each.
If you can bring some of your own equipment to the demo, that’s even better. Testing some speakers? Take your own amp and CD player. Taking a look at an amp? Take your speakers along. Your kit will be run in, familiar, and a better benchmark than the unfamiliar gear they might have in the listening room.