Have you ever hated the sound of your system one day, and loved it the next?

No, this is real, it happens to most of us and I have concluded there are two main contributing factors. 1. Source, quality varies from one media to another. 2. Finally all systems sound different depending on how long they have been left on. I have heard some systems sound better from a cold start where others sound much better the longer they are left on.

I think it’s you man...
Certain recordings have huge differences, but you mention same recordings.
I changed preamp tubes & noticed a huge difference...

stevizzy
Last evening the world outside my home was silent with 12” of freshly fallen heavy snow. It was so quiet 🤫 I could hear my breath freezing. The evening was audio magic so I stayed up until 3:00AM listening to recordings that never sounded so good.

>>>>>OK, The snow has stopped and melted most places. Did the audio magic disappear with the snow? Did you psych yourself out? You could hear your breath freezing? Were you sitting outside?

If you have trouble or pain in your ears on airplane flights, as I do, it may be you. (Us?)
Sometimes my tiny Eustachian tubes close up and my auditory system is transformed from bass reflex to acoustic reflex. Things sound indistinct. Sometimes I can clear it up by swallowing hard a few times. 

But I imagine I am in the minority.

Long answer short - at times my system amazes me, once in a while it sounds a bit blah, mostly it is very, very good.

2channel8,

 I think you have something there about Eustachian tubes,
I have problems on airplane flights too. When my set sounds unbalanced, I pinch my nose and blow, and it clears up the imbalance.  This tip was given to me by my ear doctor.