What are we really trying to replicate?

For me, it isn't about the volume, it's about the clarity and accuracy. Live un-amplified sound has a physical characteristic to it. My ideal system would be the one that best replicates this physical presence. Hence I look for dynamics, vocals, piano and strings.

I'm sure it's no surprise, but I much prefer acoustic performances to amplified performances.

Musicnoise, your comments are certainly on the mark. The sound experience at a live rock concert is entirely different from that at a symphony concert. Even at the highest sound/dynamic levels, the ears are rarely assaulted in the same way they are at rock concerts, which often use electronics equipment to further amplify the sound. I also agree with your point about raising the question, "Do you like the way music sounds on your system?" Indeed, that is THE most significant concern when listening to reproduced music at home. Notwithstanding, the live event is most often "a horse of a different color." It would take too much time and effort for me to relate how remarkable sounding the experience was for me and my friends at a recently attended concert, and it wasn't just the performances or the particular compositions either. Though I had heard wonderful sound at other concerts, I was unprepared for sound this glorious. I will remember it for a long time.

One thing that I've found is that every time I change speakers my listening preferences change a bit. With my Infinity IL-50s that had built in subwoofers allowed me to really enjoy music with powerful bass. My Focal 836v speakers have me leaning towards more simple classical type recordings where the detail is better. My favorite CDs are almost all a recording of a very small group. I have one particular David Garrett CD that has one song that is a solo violin piece that is recorded about as good as it possible. It's simply not possible for a symphony recording, no matter how well it's done, to have the level of detail.

This may sound strange, but when I first got my speakers I had the realization that a significant part of the quality was actually silence. The clarity of the Focals made me visualize my Infinity's running out of control like a car without shocks and not properly seperating the many distinct sounds. Am I explaining this so that it makes sense?

All I can advise is to save your time and money and never get wrapped up in this stuff. I can almost promise you it won't end well.

If you mean that there isn't an end to audiophile's journey, that's true.

I think that no matter what a person own they will eventually lose their excitement for it and think that something else sounds better when it might just be different.

As for my journey, I'm a half-baked audiophile so other than possibly obtaining an SACD player I don't see myself upgrading or changing anything until something stops working.