I immediately recognized it sounded like *shit* compared to when I used the audio system before. It was muffled an boomy and that was, I know, NOT how this system sounded when I used it. Sure enough, checking the EQ, my rap-loving son had pushed the bass way up. As soon as I re-set the bass controls, it sounded as I remembered.
recognizing a poorly eq'd system (my brother used to do the same thing on my parents' car in the day) is a far cry from proclaiming that one expensive hifi component is 'warmer, deeper soundstage, etc' than another expensive high component. worth noting that it always seems like the more expensive stuff is better.