For an answer to your question I think that it’s best to abandon the notion that those who care about “accurate reproduction” are necessarily better listeners and more connected with the music. It may or may not be true. Some who don’t care as much are much better and more astute listeners than some who do.
I think that in many cases it is a particular personality type that is drawn to the HOBBY aspect of it all. Some of us seek order or even perfection in many aspects of life including the act of listening to music; not everyone does. Hi fi is a hobby and I would say that to most music lovers listening to music falls into a different category; certainly not that of “hobby”. The two endeavors can coincide and live side by side as they do for many of us. However, I try to not make a necessary connection between interest in “accuracy of reproduction” and interest in music. There have been too many times over the years that I have been amazed at the level of knowledge and insight into music on the part of some who couldn’t care less about the trappings of audiophilia.
I think that in many cases it is a particular personality type that is drawn to the HOBBY aspect of it all. Some of us seek order or even perfection in many aspects of life including the act of listening to music; not everyone does. Hi fi is a hobby and I would say that to most music lovers listening to music falls into a different category; certainly not that of “hobby”. The two endeavors can coincide and live side by side as they do for many of us. However, I try to not make a necessary connection between interest in “accuracy of reproduction” and interest in music. There have been too many times over the years that I have been amazed at the level of knowledge and insight into music on the part of some who couldn’t care less about the trappings of audiophilia.