Midrange texture?

It's not a single component. It takes a whole system (and detailed setup) to be able to naturally render fine detail. There's also a school of thought that argues that the type of detail you use as examples are more an artifact of the close microphone recording process than what anyone would hear from live instruments in a performance hall.

Most good CD players/turntables deliver plenty of resolution. Cables and Power cords that eliminate contamination and lower the noise floor will allow that fine low level detail through. The best cable and PC should be on the front end. Speaker cables play a huge part as well...matching an amps characteristics to the speakers demands is crucial. I like MIT products because they address all these issues (and more) and allow all of the music to come through in a most natural and dynamic way with all of the detail. The speakers must be resolving enough of course and be made with quality parts i.e...audiophile grade crossovers. Most crossovers today are circuit boards, so naturally they suck the life out of the music. My most natural sounding and detailed speakers have been ones with crossovers made with large scale discrete parts such as my Totems, Wilsons and Magnepans.

Onhwy61, I agree with both assertions. The components have to work together as a system, and the stars has to align correctly, then it will start sounding magic. The type of detail I'm after could ver well be the effect of close mic'ing. However hearing those effect conjures up the feeling of hearing the utmost detail. It may not be realistic, but it makes you wonder. Also it's something that I haven't be able to reproduce in my system, and I'm curious as for why.

Dave_b, I'm not much of a detail freak when it comes to the cables. I have moderate quality cables and power cords. But the systems with the sound I'm after don't always have better cables and cords either.

By the way, I don't feel the sound of my system is lacking any detail compared to other systems that I've heard. My system is better in PRAT, dynamics, and extension, piano, percussion, etc. Not so much in string instruments and woodwind instruments. I wonder if I'm missing some kind of pixie powder for string and woodwinds.