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It really depends on the type of 'Audiophile' (or, better, 'Equipophile') you grow up to be -- are you going to become a scientific audiophile, or a "magical Audiophile"? The scientific audiophile will measure and listen, and will refrain from using the $$$$$ Teflon cap when a non-polar electrolytic will serve, the magical audiophile will invest "thousands" in the interconnects and speaker wire, as they can hear the difference, and will most definitely use the "Teflon's" whenever and wherever possible .
Jeff,
This hobby is a journey without end. Along the way, you'll find helpful guidance, useless blather and, occasionally, downright condescension. Let your own ears be your guide. Measurements really are secondary, because they are incomplete. Imagine judging a car by its power, steering response, brakes, etc., and ignoring the fact that it is uncomfortable to sit in for more than a few minutes.
Try not to approach any one project as though this will be your last attempt to get a component "right". Enjoy the ride, learn and do better the next time. But BUILD! Learn from each build. As for advice from the club, by all means listen to as many systems as you can. You'll get a feel for which rigs appeal to you the most. There are hundreds of man-years of experience available to you in the club. Avail yourself of them.
Just because you choose a direction (say single ended tube amps driving horns, or massive power transistor amps driving mini-monitors and remote subs), remember you can easily change direction should another piece of the pie reveal itself to you. It's a lifelong FUN endeavor.
It's useful to have someone whose opinion you trust, whose ears can stand in stead for your own, telling you that he's been there, don't go that way. Meet the guys in the club and see if that works for you. That can move you forward very fast and save thousands in the long run, as Joel pointed out.
From my own experience, EVERYTHING, and I do mean EVERYTHING, has a "sound", a sonic signature. Wire, resistors, caps, transformers, power cords, interconnects, the material you build your chassis' out of, etc. EVERYTHING! BUT>>>>>Parts quality is NOT a substitute for good engineering!<<<<< The best NOS Telefunken smooth plate 12AX7, in a Teflon socket, with a 100k Mills plate load driving a passive RIAA filter filled with Kwami resistors and Duelund caps, will never sound as good as any old 6C45PI in a tin plated phenolic socket properly operated in a linear fashion and using run-of-the-mill generic components. On the other hand, if your system is of high enough resolution, you can easily hear the differences between various components.
We can't prove it to you, only you can by hearing the results for yourself. Then decide how to spend your money. The overall rig you put together will be fraught with imperfections. The trick is to make them work with each other to give you a pleasing end result.
Most of us in the group disagree to some degree about what sounds best. You aren't any different, choose your own course and ignore people who tell you "If I can't measure it, you can't hear it". If you hear the difference, repeatedly, then it's real. Figure it out and use the knowledge.
One more point regarding the sonic signature of components. I have no idea what the exact mechanism is by which power cords affect sound (especially in a system filled with voltage regulators, chokes, various noise filters, etc. and a circuit with a very high PSRR) but most of us have heard the effects clearly. Judging by the variety of power cord designs, I'd say the physics of whatever is going on isn't very clear to a lot of folks. However, just because
I can't, does 't mean that there isn't a difference.
Stuart