inserting new component--predictable results?


Here's the scenario. You're done your reading, done your research, listened to different makes and models in the stores, hauled two or three of the finalists home for the weekend, and finally bought the one that you liked the best. (For the purposes of this post, it doesn't matter if it's TT, cdp, pre-amp, speaker, etc.) In the course of this quest, you've listened to the new component with perhaps 1%, 2%, 5% of the discs in your collection that you know really or reasonably well, or with that clutch of discs that you tend habitually to use when you try out new components.

So here's my question. When the new component is inserted in the system, and based on your experiences up to the moment of purchase, now when you come to play other discs, are the sonics of these now also entirely "predictable"?

To put my question more clearly, let's imagine a hypothetical concrete example. You're looking, let's say, to warm up the system a bit and flesh out the bass (or gain transparency or greater presence--the specifics don't matter). You find a component that, based on your trials with your trusty discs, does just that, so you buy it and insert it. But then does it sound that same way, to a greater or lesser extent, as you work your way through other discs in your collection, discs that you hadn't heard with that particular combination of components before? Or are there surprises? With certain discs, do you actually get other effects, or even opposite effects, from what you might have expected based on the trial process?

I'd be curious to hear of people's experiences--either confirming a certain reliable predictability or recounting their particular surprises.
128x128twoleftears
Agree with Drubin and Tvad. I experienced this particularly during a period of time in which I was fascinated with the pleasure of discovering more and greater detail in my system with each improvement. At a certain point, the quest went from pleasure to nightmare. Suddenly more and more discs (beyond my few "test" discs) sounded unlistenable. (The test discs sounded great. They tended to be extremely well-recorded, mastered, etc.)

I got so angry with my "wonderfully detailed but painful to listen to" system that one night I very nearly busted one of the drivers by throwing a shoe at it.

After that, I found Audiogon, and tortured fellow members with numerous posts about finding a more "forgiving" system sound. I'm trying to compromise the lust for detail with the lust for listenability. Not an easy tightrope to walk, but once I found the BBC monitor style speakers, that got me a good bit of the way there. Oh, yeah, and tube electronics (that sound like tube electronics).
if you have auditioned component x long enough, including break in, it has some audible effect(s) upon the sound of your stereo system.

for example, if the component attenuates the high frequencies in one recording it will do so in another. thus whatever effect the component has upon the stereo system, it will have that effect on all recordings.

it is easy to verify, in a gross way, how frequency response is affected by component x, without listening to reference discs. it is also relatively easy to observe changes in sound stage width and depth without using your reference recordings .

in summary, if a component has an effect , it will always have that effect, for all recordings. i believe logic is the explanation.
My experience is similar to eweed's but without the shoe throwing incident. My solution was also different as I did not go the tube route.
My current set up is not as revealing as some previous systems, not as much sparkle on tip, but I can spend hours listening and enjoying that time.
I agree with Mr Tennis's explanation.

If you listen carefully and identify freq shifts with your test CDs (Hopefully with all octaves freq content), you can reliably predict how the other CDs will sound like.
The paint doesn't match the color chips. My wife and I are trying to choose a new exterior paint color but when we bring home samples to paint test swatches on the house the colors look way different than the paper color chips. This closely matches my hifi upgrading experiences. Sound familiar?