What is a high end stereo SUPPOSED to sound like?

I suspect audio engineers want their work to stand out just like most pros so they all do their own thing as best we can.

Recording what a live performance sounds like was cool and cutting edge back in the 50s but probably pretty passe and non distinguishing these days.

They are artists in theif own right like Monet, Picasso, etc. Artists create, not reproduce in general.

One thing i have been striving for recently (I go in waves of interest on hi-fi,
right now i am 'back in') is to have 'normal' records, i.e., standard pressings
of stuff, sound good, rather than just the tried and true audiophile tested
records. I've taken a serious interest in going back to older pop stuff from
the 60's and 70's as well as jazz, blues and classical records. I will still buy
the occasional 'audiophile' record- sometimes it's unavoidable because the
standard pressing is so bad (read: Lost Highway pressing of Shelby
Lynne's Dusty record or the Junior Wells Hoodoo Man Blues), but alot of
the old Warner Bros and Columbia 'standard issue' records can sound
great. I've been able to enjoy the music more, and worry less about how
good the system sounds. But, I'm at a point where the system is pretty
mature right now, no overwhelming needs, other than a new room! (Soon
to come). PS: I'm still not entirely happy with the bass, but I'm hoping that
will get sorted as part of a new room.
Good thread.

since there are many "high end" components, combinations of such components will configure stereo systems which sound different. thus there is no "high end sound", but rather many "high end" "sounds".

what is more important is that the owner enjoys what he hears.

Like music.

Mapman, you have hit the nail on the head with your last post. Everyone (not just the recording engineers) has their own idea of what the "absolute sound," or whatever you want to call it, is; in many cases, this has absolutely nothing to do with how music actually sounds in a real performance space.

Same thing goes for the concept of "neutrality" as applied to audio reproduction equipment, despite many very fine attempts to define this concept on this board, notably by Bryon Cunningham. Equipment designers do almost always have a very specific sound in mind for their equipment. Who is to say which is more "neutral?" This judgment will of course be heavily influenced by what one's concept of the "absolute sound" is. Since this concept cannot be exactly defined, "neutrality" cannot either.

This is not to say these concepts are irrelevant, but to say that they are relevant only to how each individual listener (or those having the exact same preferences) defines them for themselves.