SQ vs. Music

It’s my prerogative how much I listen critically and casually, and I could not  care less how others do so.

Some really probing answers to the question here, many of which I can relate to.
 It’s not a simple matter.

@douglas_schroeder I'm sorry, but this is not your choice. You must follow the advice of people on this thread. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. ;-)

It would be unusual for anyone to spend the bulk of their time listening to sound quality. 90% of the time I am listening to music it is on as background either in the shop or office. For some reason I can not tolerate a music-less environment. As an infant I would scream my head off at night and would not stop. My mother tried everything including not letting me nap during the day. Nothing worked. Finally in desperation she stuck a table radio in the crib with me, tubes and all. She tied a knot in the power cord around one of the dowels. It worked. Nothing like the smell of tubes in the morning.
Even when I'm in the hot seat I spend very little time actually analyzing the system. I usually do that only after I make a change or something went south. A great system does not have to be analyzed, it just sounds great, every recording being a new adventure. Which brings to mind audiophile candy recordings. I can't listen to mundane music just because it was well recorded. I remember back in the day a 45 rpm Virgil Fox organ recording all the audiophiles were slobbering over. Virgil was the Liberace of organists. His renditions of classic organ pieces was to my ear sickening as was this record. That was the last time I fell for any that that. There are so many excellent recordings of great musicians there is no need filling up your collection with records you will never listen to.

Love how millercarbon put it. And I'm still new enough to the world of high quality equipment that I'm trying to find the balance. I will put something on just because it sounds fabulous and bask in the glory. And I'll pass on a recording because it doesn't sound as good. Likewise, I'll hunt for vinyl pressings and cd labels that I know sound great. Wow, has this expanded my collection, and taste. 

At this point, it's getting closer to 50/50, I suspect. Or, at least, I'm not just thinking about SQ before I choose something than I used to a few months ago. A friend told me that I'll get to the point where I do listen to SQ more intently for the first couple tracks, and then focus more on the music itself. But I don't know that anyone can so neatly separate the two. In a year or so I'll have more experience, so I'm still learning.