What is a high end stereo SUPPOSED to sound like?

It sounds amazing. Makes you cry, makes you smile. It takes you away from where you just were and brings you somewhere else.

Should it sound like live music? If so, then your initial impression of a system would count for a lot, I would think. When you attend an audio show and go into a room for the first time, does it sound like something approximating the real thing or nothing like that at all? If the latter, can it really be any good?

I ask myself this all the time. And I wonder about the experience of a system or component that "draws you into the music, makes the emotional connection." I've had that experience as I'm sure we all have, but what relationship does it have to sounding like live music?

Doesn't matter. As long as it sounds very good, say well above average, to the guy or gal who paid and is listening, it is high end to me.

I suppose it is also high end if it costs way above average as well, but that alone does not assure that it sounds way above average as well, so cost alone does not mean it sounds like high end which is what the OP is asking.

Higher end manufacturers design for 1) the taste of certain audience and 2) signal accuracy. In other words, some high end manufacturers actually modify the electronics to produce a certain "sound" from their equipment. So, you have heard of the xxxxxx brand sound. Some design to accurately reproduce the electronic signal period. Some design to accurately reproduce the electronic signal and to drive specific loads. So, to answer your question "what is a high end stereo supposed to sound like?" well, it is suppose to sound like what the designer wanted it to sound like. I know this appears to be an evasion, but it is the truth. Since the majority of us were not present during the actual recording session, we have absolutely no idea what the original recording sounded like. We can only go by our individual experiences related to music, knowledge of instruments, recordings, and taste. Being an ex-violinist, clarinet player, sax player, oboe, basson, etc. I know what instruments sound like. And yes, even pianos or violins and drums, sound different from others. Listen to Joe Sample play the piano. His piano it totally different sounding than any other pianist. So, when I hear a recording and cymbols don't sound correct, or drums sound terrible, or the violin is horrendus, I know it is the play back equipment, recording, or anything in-between that is the problem. But, when I play that same recording on a really good system and it sound wonderful, that tells me what I want to know. That something in the play-back medium is faulty or poorly designed. So, my reference is a really great system at my favorite stereo store in San Diego. Every now and then I'll go there and listen to music on stupidly, I can't afford it equipment just to hear the recording on a better system. Also, I go to concerts. Outdoor, small venue, unamplified, amplified but small venue, classical, etc. to re-establish my frame of reference and for enjoyment. You want to know what a female singer sounds like? Go to a play, concert, ballet, etc. and listen. Then go home and play similar music and see if it is close. Nine times out of ten, it probably won't be close. Even with modern high end equipment, it still isn't there yet. As long as analog has to pass through equipment and be processed, there will be distortions, errors, time delays, etc. introduced by the processing equipment and the more equipment, devices it passes through, the more it will get away from the real deal. This is also why the typically best recordings are directly from analog master tapes direct to disc or analog tape to digital with minimal processing in-between. but, take your favorite music to really good high-end stores and sit in their most expensive high end room and listen.

have fun.

I agree with you Cdc. It should sound like nothing. At the risk of using an inflammatory word, the system should be neutral.

IME, the most common obstacle to reaching that elusive goal is the listening room. No matter how good the equipment, if the room sounds like something, the system will never sound like nothing.

Bryon