**** I never separate the gear from the music. ****
Neither do some audiophiles. Who cares about the all too many “audiophile” audio-jocks for whom it’s all about the gear. The two interests can live side by side without interfering with the music; aux contraire. Hate to break it to you, to the “great unwashed” (to quote someone here 😎), with Polks and Blue Jeans, you my friend are an audiophile. It’s all relative.
**** For instance, a person would have to explain to me how Coltrane playing Giant Steps would sound different, with different wire / gear. Speakers excepted. ****
Do you cook? Ever use sea salt instead of iodized? If you have, then you have your answer. On a great steak (any dish) it gets out of the way of the flavor of the meat more. If it’s not the kind of thing you care about, and there’s nothing wrong with that, then don’t worry about it. It will still taste good with regular salt; just not quite as great. Personally, I prefer to be able to hear when Trane had a particularly great reed 😄.