We judge what we think best by what we hear – and when a fine piano player demonstrates a piano he has an effect on what we are trying to judge. Was the piano sound better??? Or did the piano player make it sound better???
My dad who played piano extremely well tuned pianos at Wurlitzer piano in a store in Manhattan 42nd street. Whenever a salesman felt he was losing a sale he asked my Dad to play that without doubt effected the buyers opinion of the piano.

So does it matter who plays the instrument? I think it does it we wish to judge properly. IMHO

John C.

PS, I never enjoyed the over use of a sustain pedal, it seems to blurr everything.