Some of it does - I still think some of their DACs are among the best in the business (as do their massively pricier imitators…), and the tuner I have is by a big margin the best-sounding DAB I’ve ever heard (akin, I know, to talking about the world’s fastest bin lorry!).
Started very young, enjoying music when my Dad played his records on the Furguson radiogram. Had my first separates system not long after I started work, left home and moved into my first flat - aged 17/18. You wouldn’t exactly call it hifi - a Garrard sp25, cheap Sansui integrated and a pair of battered s/h Wharfdales, (Dentons iirc)
Never not had a system since then and always relied on my ears - so 50 or so years experience!
A bit dismissive, but I think you’re confusing the ability to hear when something isn’t quite right with the ability to do something about it.
Short of having a fully adjustable xover, like a Najda, not much. In the early days most amps had tone controls, so small adjustments could be made.
Without tone controls, changes could work by adjusting the speakers and/or listening position, or maybe room treatment. If that didn’t result in the desired change, then you’d be looking to replace items of kit.
But all of the above doesn’t mean that plenty of experience won’t benefit you when it comes to knowing when something isn’t right and an idea of what to do to rectify it.
Yes, and that’s exactly why systems that are set up by measuring and then tailoring the xoxers for a perfectly flat response usually sound a bit meh to me.
Unless you can measure the room and the listener’s hearing, then tailor the sound accordingly, it’s better to rely on your own ears.
I drove my Tapped horn subs, and mid bass horns with a pair of 60 or 80W T-amps in the beginning.
Thought it was okay until I tried some PA beef!
Back in 2015 friends brought a huge and heavy £9K Chord amp round, and a Behringer Inuke to test.
The Behringer slaughtered the T-amp on the tapped horns and put the Chord completely in the shade too!
Crown make some very nice sounding, fan quiet amps.
It won’t be that beefy then.
Borrow a powerhouse to try if you’re curious.
I’ve got a Behringer Inuke as a spare, could send it to you, somewhere like Blue Aran or Lean Audio may sell you a nice Crown XLS 1500 say etc and allow returns if you don’t like it.