Is it the beer or do speakers/electronics really need some extended warm-up period?

It is the beer. Over the years, I have found that the more beer I drink, the louder I can turn up the volume to get the best sound. Alas, I had to quit drinking when replacement mids were discontinued for my speakers. I also had to limit Maynard Ferguson to my old system with electronicly activated speaker protection.

That makes sense to me since almost all systems distort the sound like crazy 😜 when turned up past moderate levels. I’m not hot doggin ya. Beer numbs the brain to the gross distortion.

In all seriousness (is that even possible?), I think the desire to turn up the volume is sometimes a desire to get 'more' you are there-they are here/immediacy/verisimultude (great word) out of the system. The trick for me is getting the volume/gain/amount of loudness just so for the particular recording on my system in my room. Turning it up too loud doesn't make it better. I also tend not to listen at super high db, but like the dynamics when they are there; the other side of it is that dead quietness on soft passages that is no so easily achieved on old records.  

In all seriousness (is that even possible?), I think the desire to turn up the volume is sometimes a desire to get 'more' you are there-they are here/immediacy/verisimultude (great word) out of the system. The trick for me is getting the volume/gain/amount of loudness just so for the particular recording on my system in my room. Turning it up too loud doesn't make it better. I also tend not to listen at super high db, but like the dynamics when they are there; the other side of it is that dead quietness on soft passages that is no so easily achieved on old records.

+1 

I tend to listen around 85db, however, the dynamic range is often such that it can vary between 65db and 105db.

You have choices, you can settle in with inferior gear but you will need a case of beer each and every time to make it sound better or you can buy quality gear and dispense with the beer entirely. Either way it's going to cost you.