Quentin, you are showering the forum with logic and sound thinking! Please stop it ;-)
I think we all share an interest in technology, and I am not going to deny that. I wouldn't slam the door on some super nice top end gear too.
The pursuit of testing/collecting equipment, for the sake of it, is a false prophet.
Music is a great comparison, I used to admire Jimi Hendrix when I was growing up (forget if you like his music, or the rock n roll lifestyle etc) This is the same guy who used a wooden broomstick to mimic playing on. The guy who used a one-stringed ukulele found in his father's garage. Now he moved onto Fenders, and Gibson's..the nice stuff..but the man was "obsessed with playing guitar". He even used to play in the toilet..with no amp.
What he was not..was "obsessed with technology, or guitars" He was not gripped with testing his equipment, he just used it (heck even smashed it up at times!). And it would be hard to ignore the pure talent, even if you did not care for his style.
The problem with many folks on this forum, is they are too busy trying to find the right guitar, for the "sound they like", and reading the tests that prove it's the best guitar out there. Not that it's unimportant, but hey..you have to call it a day sometime. And not enough time spent playing the damn thing!
So I don't want to hear about the "new guitar just out with a great sound" I want to hear about the tunes you knock out. Testing is pretty boring if we are honest..there will always be a new shiny guitar in the shop, that might be a bit better than the last model you bought.
In the spirit of non testing, I present a photo..well I just decided the other night to stop reading the tests, and take a photo. My apologies for using non high end stuff, I am sure I would get a sharper bigger print with Carl Zeiss optics, and a FF digital body. Sorry about that..shot on a super budget DSLR with a £70 lens, hey lets call it a slightly beaten up guitar with a not bad sound.. ;-)
[attachment=11419:Barry_Po...b_2009_8.jpg]
Have fun talking about testing! lol
ps..it passed my own personal test..aka using the thing!
Forgot to mention, jpeg straight from camera (bar USM and resize)...how dare I??? lol