Do you trust your system?

@steakster my friend read about recordings in the early days of CDs and right before.

You will cry.

OP:  I worry about our critical listening a great deal.  If you are recording or making or reviewing gear then critical listwning males sense, but for the audiophile critical listening should be introspective and learning about who we are as music consumers.

It is hard to make A-B comparison with life concert, especially when best seats are not available.  We assume that sound of instruments we hear thru our system is true and later compare everything to it.  If I have warm sounding system (added even order harmonics) I will never know how clarinet (only odd harmonics) should really sound.  We can still judge dynamics, clarity, extension etc, but it is hard to judge timbre of instruments - at least for me.  Trained musicians can hear and have easy access to reference sound.

If you only listen to your own system, and your system only, you will never know if your system is the best (I am using “you” as in plural, not addressing any particular person), and whether it can be improved. If there is no reference point, there is nothing to improve. And unless you are a billionaire, you cannot possibly buy all what’s out there to try in your home.

You will need exposure. Things like visiting your friendly local dealer(s), going to audio shows, and most importantly having a network of local like-minded people to exchange visits. Bonus points if those audiophile friends are very experienced and passionate, and well heeled. And it’s also a lot of fun. Talking, listening, drinking. Socializing stuff humans do.
 

The more exposure the better. That’s the only way to create a good idea of what’s out there, that you can use to improve your own system. Of course, to your liking and preferences. That’s what I do. Consistently over the past 15+ years.

I go to live concerts too. A lot, but honestly though that’s no help in this regard, as the music I like is always amplified. But I have a great time nonetheless

@dain 

I luckily found a set of equipment and a room setup that if a song is off, it’s likely recorded that way. I trust my system to do a decent job.  I wonder do others get to a point where they are more critical of mastering techniques than something wrong with their equipment?

I don't understand. I suppose because I come at it from a different direction. As I read your post it seems that you are constantly looking for the bad in the music rather than enjoying it. Do you enjoy the music? Or is it the criticism you enjoy? Either way, it seems like work rather than play. I'm not trying to be overly critical of you but I can't imagine  enjoying music under those conditions.

Relax. Enjoy. Problems will arise at some point. But there's no need to look for them. Just react and resolve them t when they show themselves

IF your references are studio multitrack w limiters and reverb, keep chasing your own tail….

I make my own reference high speed tape recordings…..

Also, get out and hear other..great..systems, stop drinking your own “ best “ bathwater…..

See also Waterlily, Sheffield, etc….