No analogy is perfect, but blind tastings of wines and blind listening sessions, comparing audio components, do have this in common: those who rate the wines or audio gear will not be influenced by name or reputation.

yes, live music is sometimes bright and hard. That I why I have prefered AR tubes over SET gear; the AR tubes can sound bright when the music calls for it. I've been told that some SET units can produce correctly bright sound when the vimyl calls for it.

No one has replied to my request for some audio store where I can hear this wonderful new digital sound. I suspect TTT, along with others, were on board with ss and digital from the start. I know REG was.