The Absolute Sound vs Pleasing Sound

"...Hello Russ69,  I’ve been through the same situation as you..."
I'm not in a situation, I know what I prefer.

 "... I’ve found that thru experience, accurate sounding systems are not what I’ve enjoyed best long term..."
You and I are on the same page. 

  "...So I’m trying to understand what do you mean by an absolute sound..." 
That was defined by an audio magazine to be the recreation of live unamplified music. I think that is the low hanging fruit, that's a very simple task, playing complex music is where good systems shine.    

Russ69,

As pointed out by others, and something that I absolutely agree with, whether one is satisfied with the sound of our audio system is really the bottom line of all this. If the sound pleases us, then who is to argue? There are different approaches to reaching the sound that we want as we all have different priorities when it comes to music and this hobby. However, there is a tendency on the part of all of us to want agreement and to take disagreement as to which approach is best unnecessarily personally. This is the reason that it is always best to not be absolutist about a point of view which may not work for anyone except ourselves. I think that it is fantastic that you have found an approach that works for you. I and others don’t find it at all “impossible” to achieve our ideal sound by pursuing a sound that is “closest to real live music”. It’s not about being right or wrong in our approach; except for ourselves.

So, thanks for an interesting subject of discussion. Threads like this always have the potential to teach us how to better understand the point of view of others and even to become better listeners.

I will leave the thread with this personal viewpoint Re one of your quoted comments and one which may help clarify my point of view:

**** ...the recreation of live unamplified music. I think that is the low hanging fruit, that’s a very simple task, playing complex music is where good systems shine. ****

Simple task? From my point of view it is the most complex of all. In fact, the highest hanging fruit and the reason why it is worth pursuing.

Regards.

I am absolutist and proud of it.
As I mentioned, microphones are unadvanced devices. First, improve them. There is no music recorded well. 

I am absolutist and proud of it.
As I mentioned, microphones are unadvanced devices. First, improve them. There is no music recorded well.

I think your post is a blank statement of "absolutism" yes....But nothing else i am afraid...

Your conclusion " there is no music recorded well" is already contained in the premise "microphones are unadvanced devices".... Then your affirmation is only a vicious circle masking the essential hole in your premise: in reality microphones are already advanced tool but only RELATIVELY advanced for sure and then microphones can be improved in their design but also in their use...Conflating all types of microphones with all their specific relatives uses and putting all of them on the same "primitive" level, or faulting the design when in many cases it is the use itself the problem is not rigorous but only a sophism...

Dont forget also that the art of recording is an art of trade-off and nothing could be absolutely perfect erasing completely this necessary trade-off by the nature of acoustic physic itself...

In truth microphones are only tools and like rhetorical tools can be rightly or wrongfully used... Both can be improved....

The chance is that you will improve your logic more speedily than the art of recording....But you can improve the acoustic of your room even faster than these two....

My last word will be simple: there is some relatively well recorded music, and some for sure are better, other less...

Absolutism is more successful in spiritual life....Even in mathematics absolutism is behind after Goedel....

I will also give a practical recommendation: no audio system at any price could do justice to a relatively well recorded files or vinyl or cd, without working in a well controlled environment, especially acoustically...But also in a mechanically and electrically rightfully controlled working dimensions....

Then your experience and problems with recording source is perhaps unbeknonwst to you, an experience with the bad controlled acoustic settings of your audio room....Or some problems also with the mechanical or electrical embeddings...

I dont know for sure.....

My best to you....