many people have helped me along the way in my audiophoolish pursuits. a lot of this goes on among us. cause we all so cool... (hah!)
i got a story:
i used to run a friend's record shop for him on sundays. it was a blast. one day i'm playin' pet sounds or something (i know it was beach boys) and a guy comes up to the counter and starts a conversation. said he liked my taste in music. we're talkin, and i mention i'm a headphone guy now as my kids are little(this is 25 years ago) and i can't power up the speaks too much. he asks about gear. i tell him i just got a melos headphone amp that is supposed to sound great but that it sucks. he says "hmmm".
the guy comes back in the next sunday, gives me a small box and says, "this is what yer melos needs. also it should change yer life".
a gift. from a stranger. it contained a very fine condition old bugle boy tube!!! needless to say, he was right on both counts. replaced the hateful sovtek piece of **** that they shipped them with, let the bugle boy warm up for 10 minutes, and WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this guy buys and sells a lotta gear in his own phoolishness. has like a dozen different audiophile rigs set up around his huge basement. waay into analog. i still can't get him to give high rez from computers a try, though he's been one of my best friends for a quarter century. his gift taught me alot about passing it on.