As a reasonably competent photographic hack (you can see my photo gallery here), I can confidently say that Ansel Adams could take a better picture regardless of equipment. Give him a Kodak Brownie and me a beautiful Canon high-resolution camera, and I'll bet his photo would gather the crowds.
What's that mean for us? Skill and knowledge certainly matter, but unless we're extraordinarily gifted or experienced, we cannot ignore the quality of our equipment.
Like photography, cooking, motorsports, or any endeavor that benefits from the ingredients and the knowledge of how to use them, high-end audio will always require a combination of both skill and equipment.
Have a serious look at your HiFi system. Is it all it could be? Would it benefit from better setup? Room treatment? Or are you hobbling along with equipment that's holding you back?
All great questions deserving of an unemotional evaluation.
