sorry, i have 12
1. we all have different ears and preferences. what's "great" for some may not be necessarily so for others.
2. tonal purity (violin sounding like a violin, vocals sound natural) and PRAT are far more important than soundstaging, width, depth, height. have you been to a live concert and got concerned with soundstaging or imaging? really?
3. do not borrow someone else's software. (a subtle way of saying: please don't bother to borrow mine...hehehe)
4. you don't need a million to set-up a great system...(although having a million to spend always helps...hehehe)
5. listen, experiment, listen...enjoy audio every step of the way.
6. Audio is about the music AND the gear. someone who tells you otherwise, is a hypocrite
next time a wise guy says music is everything that matters to him and not gear, offer to swap his sonus or LS3/5A or his tube amps and expensive CDP with a walkman and earphones, and see how he reacts
7. the music from a good system must engage you emotionally. it must be able to get you dancing, relaxing and even crying...
8. a so-so system is a system where the only place to enjoy the music is when you're seated at a sweet spot. ever been to live concert and the best spot is one seat in the hall?
9. if it's not possible at all listen to live concerts of artists you like (norah jones or groban, coors, sinatra, ella, miles or monk), listen to as many set-ups as you can with them playing to expand your listening experience...then decide what you like best. what is best for you should consider your taste, your budget and your room...
10. enjoy what you have now. you have no choice anyway until funds become available for you next upgrade
11. have fun! audio is fun...music is fun! gear hunting is fun! tweaking is fun!
12. most audiophiles are highly-opinionated and severely-biased individuals. so don't take seriously everthing written in this thread!
cheers!