I want to be moved and have the music touch my soul!

This thread is like being in a cave with insane audiophiles shouting at each other!! If you have to play only “Great” recordings, then your sunk. A system should deliver the energy, vibrancy and dynamic swing of the music to excite your soul like a live concert. Most audiophiles sit quietly before their systems in a semi comatose state of delusion listening for minutia, obsessing over their gear. It’s all so contrary to actual music being played...music gets loud, dynamic and fills the room with energy. Get speakers that can do that first, then pick your gear accordingly. Listening to music like a lab technician is nuts. If you also use it like elevator music, get Bose and be done.

@Honashagen, Have you listened to your audiophile cousins system, and how does his system sound to you? Is it moving your soul? Does it sound better than your system or how does it sound compared to your system?
I'd also have to ask if you have recently been to any high end audio stores, and how did those systems sound to you?

Oops forgot...and room treatments!

Honashagen ...

Let's see if I get this straight. You were happy with the sound of your Anthony Gallo Reference 3.5 speakers, then gave them up based upon what your cousin said? 

Here's my advice... purchase another pair of the Anthony Gallo Reference 3.5 speakers and then keep your cousin away from your system. 

It doesn't matter what other's think. It matters what satisfies you musically.  

Frank

In the past his system has blown me away but not the last time I heard it which was about 3 weeks ago. It was good but not OMG good. I need to hear a $100K or higher system I guess. No good audio stores around here any more. I'm trying to figure out what I'm missing. It's like when you are listening to your system and maybe reading a magazine and not paying close attention to the music and something comes on makes you look up and say wow!