By Paul McGowan From PS Audio

If you need surgery you’re probably not going to hire an amateur. You’re going to want the best, the pro that’s successfully operated on thousands.

Technically, the difference between a pro and an amateur is one earns a living at their vocation while the other does not. So we imagine that one is better than the other, though I would argue that’s nonsensical. Simply because a person’s able to make a living at something doesn’t mean they are any good at it. There are lots of terrible plumbers just as there are plenty of hack engineers.

I bristle when I read someone justifying their conclusions on the basis of how they earn their living. You wouldn’t have found one doctor in the 1800s that knew anything of the importance of washing their hands before an operation. It wouldn’t be until 1847 when Ignaz Semmelweis tried to convince them of the importance of sanitation that even a scant few would have agreed.

And they were pros. All of them.

In our chosen field of high-end audio, there are far more amateurs than pros—which is a good thing. Amateurs are not held back by knowing what they cannot do, by the rules and restrictions learned by the pros.

Never feel inadequate when by your hand your system shines.

Just because your system is a hobby doesn’t mean it isn’t the best anyone has ever heard.