Should the best systems sound almost identical?

Mezmo - While I think the ideal goal of sound reproduction is to have an identical sound to the original, I would agree that it's likely not physically possible to do it perfectly. If it could be done the majority would probably think it inferior.

Using cables as an example, if you ever did put a perfectly transparent cable into your system, how would you know?

The fact that musical instruments all sound slightly different (even though all strads have a signature sound that can be easily identified by some people) each individual violin sound the same as itself and the goal is to reproduce the sound on a specific instrument on a recording.

Assuming that because two violins sound different that it makes it "ok" for my system to make one sound like the othe isn't really any different than saying it's ok for a violin to sound like a trumpet as on my system logically.

A friend of mine was listening to a violin recording that I have and stated that it was a strad. I pulled the cover and he was right. He has a friend that is a great violin player that picked out Josh Bell specifically on Josh Groban's CD just from the style and tone. I don't claim to be that good by any stretch.

I also agree with the idea that designers are not trying to really approach the goal and are instead working towards a somewhat unique signature sound that a select group of people will prefer.

Stanwal - our systems are not musical instruments creating original sounds. They are intended to reproduce a recorded sound. How could the goal not be to perfectly represent that original sound?

In a good system you should be able to tell the difference between a bass and a bass guitar playing the same notes because of their individual sounds. In a perfect system you should be able to tell blindly which violin is playing which part of duet IF you can audibly tell them apart in a live acoustic environment.

Don't know about Stradivari's violins but I heard many acoustic guitars, bad, good and great. All sounded different even if slightly so. But guitars made by masters usually do have particular sound signature, so they are recognized by those who know and can hear it. The same, I suppose, with Stradivari and other invaluable instruments.

How coukd a reasonable person expect very different speaker technokogy, amps, pres and on to sound identical? Should a panel speaker dipole sound like a box speaker with dynamic drivers? No
Should a pure Class A tube amp sound like a Class D? No
The best systems can be different and still the best just like cars as a quick example.

Mceljo:

To understand what the "original/perfect" recorded/intended sound is you would have to use the original sound engineers brain and ears (probably while listening to the music through a variety of crappy sounding speakers used in the "original" studio, as well).

"True to the source" Hi-fi quests are dumb @ best, IMO.