The point of all of this is the MUSIC.
Although I haven't read all of the responses here, there seems to be a common thread throughout the ones I have read. Audiophiles seem to often be preoccupied with the equipment and be less focused on the music except as it works to demonstrate the equipment.
Within the human animal there is an incredibly wide range of reaction and interaction with MUSIC. It is an emotional thing that isn't easily described, understood or controlled. I just know what feels good.... for me. I have no idea what feels good for someone else other than by their reaction to the MUSIC.
People use the audio reproduction device that makes them feel good. My mother-in-law is extremely happy to be able to listen to the music she loves on a $50 cassette player. It just wouldn't matter to her if I played it on my audio system. She would enjoy it just as much but certainly no more.
For most, the quality of audio reproduction simply doesn't matter. They don't want to work that hard to learn about something new and deal with all the decisions that must be made with high-end audio. They just want to listen to music.
My system isn't anything close to what I read about here, but it isn't bad and most importantly, I enjoy way it accurately reproduces MUSIC. It makes me feel good. And when I have visistors, I share the MUSIC I like and the MUSIC I think they will like.
And most of the time, people are OK with having the MUSIC on, but would just as soon you turn it down so they can talk. Music is simply organized background noise for them. But this is OK because the MUSIC is still playing.
Music is an incredibly important part of my life and my system is one means for ME to enjoy it. If I was unable to afford the system I have, I would still be listening to MUSIC even if it had to be with used cassettes on a third-hand boom box.
Music is what this is all about.
