You "think" your old beast sounds good because you're totally used to it.
I
loved this line!

As someone who's notoriously reluctant to 'let go' of things (as per this very thread, my OS being a decade old be another sample), I think this observation was maybe more on point than you even realised and precisely what needed to hear.
Thanks for the insights & suggestions, which I shall of course also be looking at, I just had to single this bit out because of its share poignancy,
- Brill
