The music’s the thing but....


Yes, the music is the thing.  But before we became engrossed in this crazy hobby, it was the ONLY thing.  Now, I can’t listen to music on my system without the SOUND entering into the equation.  Unless it’s a patently historic recording, or mono, my enjoyment of the music is tempered by what the sound is like.  That was never the case before.  I can’t seem to enjoy the music if the sound isn’t right.  What a pity that is.
The music should come first, but unfortunately, it doesn’t.
 If I’m listening on a car radio or something, the problem doesn’t exist.
 Zoom, right to the music!
Such is the nature of our obsession.
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The fact is most people dont know what is a minimally natural or minimally musical sound, they are perpetually unsatisfied...The hyped of marketing is their guide...When you have a minimally musical audio system, you forget the sound most of the times for the music...I dont think it is possible now to upgrade at a reasonable cost...In the one thousand dollars sphere radius for the cost of all my gear, it will be impossible to really upgrade my actual choosen components...They are the best for the money and with adequate tweaks,better than some costly system... I remember before my tweaks I was very unsatisfied with the same gear and I look for all upgrade possible...Now I smile when I read about any product I cannot afford, because yes, I dream of it,but no, I am not frustrated that I cannot buy it...I smile because I have music for a low cost and I am proud of me and I love the sound of my system... Not the best in absolute term,but the best I know of at this price...And music is musically perceived with it... Even my wife who hates my obsession admit it ...  
In my experience as musician and audiophile I’ve led a dual life.
I started out playing the piano and listening to a table radio on which I learned a good deal of music without concern for fidelity. I could fill in the missing sonic gaps with my imagination.  I then met a friend who had a hifi system and my way of listening to recorded music gradually changed until I could no longer really listen to the music without concern for the sound. 
Now, I no longer play, but I bring that same obsession with perfection I had as a musician to my listening, which, of course, is absurd.  I have no control over how a disc is recorded, yet I have the same need to “improve” it, a sure recipe for craziness.
The fact is most people dont know what is a minimally natural or minimally musical sound, they are perpetually unsatisfied.
Audiophiles often have GAS (Gear Acquire Syndrome) and/or Gardener's Syndrome (constant need to repot and trim).