As I drove to work this morning, I thought back on all the audio stuff I have owned or heard, and I cannot remember truly making a bet on so much "stuff" that I have never heard. I have ordered speakers without hearing them once or twice, but nothing I would view as a deep commitment. When the ERRs were still $1495, I went back and forth so many times, and then decided not to buy. It was finally having a "need" of a sort, an amp that could drive my LCD-2 headphones, that caused me to take the Taboo plunge. And it was my experience with the Taboo that convinced me of Decware's bona fides, gave me confidence that what Steve said he was doing and delivering could be believed, whose compass and azimuth seemed aligned with my own.
In that context, Steve's assessments of this category of items—cables—gains a credibility that many hype-sters don't have in my eyes. I know there are audiophile who buy ICs and power cables that cost more than my entire Decware investment! But my Taboo experience, Steve's written words, and the experience of fellow forum members all seem so well-aligned around real, measurable performance and value. And the very few reviews out there, from people who listened with open ears and minds, are very encouraging.
So, yes, it is exciting to be deploying an all-new, nearly all-Decware system against which I will actually only measure my enjoyment. No real A/B comparisons, no more traipsing around trying to "remember" what I heard at the last store or gallery. I suppose I will be comparing against my LCD-2s...........driven by the Taboo, of course.