Perception

IMO I find that most people cannot tell what sounds good until one points out what the system is actually sounding like.  I also find that most people have not actually heard enough to understand what makes a system sound the way it does and how to change it for the better.

I was at recently at a friends home and we swapped in another piece of equipment.  The other people there right away said I like that better.  The person whose system it was said well I don't think that way and pointed out why he felt his piece sounded as good or better.

So I realized that his opinion is just that, his opinion.  I could have sat there and explained what and why but why bother.  Each of us likes what we like.  I don't need anyone to say anything different.  Go with what you prefer which could be a more warm musical system versus a more resolving system, etc.  It doe snot matter.  If you like what you are hearing and it makes you want to listen to music, then that is all that matters.

Happy Listening.

According to the research (e.g. Cox), most rectilinear rooms sound bad, however well they have been constructed. Like 2/3. Almost all of the remaining third are merely OK. Only a tiny proportion, on the order of 1%, are good.

Let alone the irregular rooms. Let alone the flexing drywall sounding like a bad out-of-phase woofer. Enter the room tuning industry.

Voice is glorious on my ESL system, in my room. Everything else, not so much. Wonder what it will be like in my new, purpose built two channel room?

After 35+ years in Audio , and having owned a Audio store to get a near ideal system  today you would need to spend 6 figures to truly be as good or better then live from 20 hz- to 20khz, and even then to an extent you are still in part
at the mercy of the recording. That being said I learned Long ago ,
justbuy rock solid engineered equipment ,preferable lightly used then upgrade the parts quality with premium parts , including the Loudspeaker crossover
and you can have Very solid performance for a fraction of what  it would cost 
to buy new and far better sounding then the Stock new piece of equipment 
unless spending Big money !! It is your perception  that counts, Period !!

Let’s briefly explore what the OP is referring to in his statement that his “larger point is how our perception of the sound is influenced by external factors.” Which I assume he means non-audio system related factors. That’s why I think the statement is so interesting, and even revolutionary. But, as I intimated people just don’t want to hear about it. They really don’t. They’ve got enough problems with room acoustics, cables, fuses, burn in, rf, vibration and things they can wrap their hands and heads around without worrying about things that go bump in the night. They don’t wish to get away from anything not in the audio path. Just give them some good old “rock solid engineering” and they’ll be happy. 🤗

I don’t know if this is a question of perception or weak-mindedness.

In general, we trust in our own ability to discern good sound. Much is personal taste, of course, but with so much time and money invested in this hobby of ours I think many of us hope for validation when others hear our systems. When a fellow audiophile/music lover dislikes your system, especially after a major upgrade, it’s bound to make you question yourself, your choices, your taste, at least a tiny bit. Seems like a very human reaction and not weak-mindedness at all.