02-16-12: Learsfool
I think many audiophiles place too much importance on Build Quality. This is much more than slightly subjective, IMO. "Better" technology isn't much of the time...
I introduced the distinction between "build quality" and "design quality" only to illustrate a tempting way of thinking about the determinants of sound quality. I go on to identify two other determinants of sound quality, and surely there are more factors I didn't identify. So I think we're actually in agreement that build quality isn't a definitive determinant of sound quality. It is one factor among many.
02-18-12: Foster_9
"Build quality" matters, but the most important aspect is always sound quality.
Again, I agree.
I also agree with you, Learsfool, that build quality may be more than slightly subjective. Even so, I believe it is less subjective than the other determinants of sound quality I mentioned -- design quality, system quality, and listener quality. This point isn't merely academic, and it bears on the topic of this thread in the following way...
The build quality of affordable (~$1K) dacs often leaves something to be desired, IME. What I mean by this is that the components of the dac are often chosen for cost, rather than performance. This is not a novel observation, of course. Many folks here on A'gon, particularly those interested in modding, are aware that substituting higher quality parts - i.e. improving build quality - can yield dramatic improvements in sound quality.
This has been on my mind lately, as I've been building new crossovers for a set of speakers, replacing not-so-good parts with better ones (yes, better). At this point I've modded 1 of 3 identical speakers, so I can A/B the old and the new crossover with the flip of a switch. So far the results are a major improvement in sound quality. As it happens, I've also been modding my preamp/dac, again with significant improvements to sound quality.
The point I'm wandering around to make is that build quality, while not a definitive determinant of sound quality, is a major determinant of it. And to some extent, build quality is something that an audiophile can change, unlike some of the other determinants of sound quality.
Bryon