When I listen to my system.......

@ mrdecibel, you stated "How is it that anyone can put tone, sound staging, or anything else with the "sound" before the performance."

I understand your position, but I think your premise is flawed. 

The issue is not performance/composition VERSUS sonic reproduction .  The issue at hand is - what is the result of the performance/composition AND sound (sonic character of the recording/playback processes).  These elements are synergistic (or at least additive).

Viewed another way, better performances/compositions are necessary, but not sufficient... AND  better sounding recordings/gear improve the experience of ALL recordings. You need BOTH.

IMO - You can not truly appreciate musicianship and composition when listening to poorly engineered recordings (I just gave away ~600 LPs of this type).  Conversely, great recordings of mediocre performances are equally unsatisfying (I also gave away ~100 LPs of this type).

Give it some thought... I hope you find your answers satisfying.

Well, it gives us all something to troll each over....;)

I think you are on to something, @asvjerry .

@ mfili35

Mr. Parson was correct, and perhaps not for the reason some folks think.

You stated: "Alan Parsons puts a lot of time into their mixes and mastering once said people don't buy equipment to listen to our music they buy our music to listen to their equipment"

As soon as we turn on our equipment, we are NOT listening to music - we are listening to reproductions of music on our equipment.

This is a FULL STOP moment.  None of us are listening to music on our systems, which truly invalidates the performance vs. sound conundrum that is discussed above!

To give this idea some perspective, I was recently listening to several recordings from the true Analog Days - 1910 to 1915 to be exact...

Back then, the compression waves produced by voices and instruments were directed into a large horn that had a diaphragm at the horn's apex.  This diaphragm was connected to a stylus (think cutter-head) that carved lines into wax that was adhered to a spinning cylinder.  This process created an ANALOG of the music...

To listen to MUSIC, go to a concert (or play some yourself).

@inagroove I regularly listen to mediocre recordings with excellent musicianship and composition, so I am not quite sure what you mean, other than to guess, you might be the type of audiophile who listens differently than I do. As long as you are happy. Someone above mentioned they could not listen to SRV, and I am guessing their taste in music is different than mine. The reality is, our recordings "are of music", chosen by the musicians and producers as being good enough (musical performance and composition) to mass produce for us, the listeners. Don't get me wrong, as I do appreciate excellent recording quality. My system is startling in it's delivery, but I am all about the music, first. There has not been a hifi / audio system that I have heard playing recordings that approaches live unamplified music, even systems using 30 IPS mastering machines / tapes, which has been the best source of recorded music that I have heard. I believe I found my answers to my questions, thank you, and I am not surprised by some of the responses. Enjoy! My best, MrD.

@immatthewj ....*wry Grin*  Oh...damn....and here I thought it was just another off-the-scruff absurdism from yours unruly..... ;)

One can only thumb wrestle over cables, connectors, and the plethora of products that flow off keys around here that after awhile the only subject on the last page of the mise-en-scene is each others' obviously flawed perception of how another is getting It Wrong.....?!

Hendrix was right.... "...gotta gotta gotta get away...." *LOL*phew* ;)