Fidelity vs. Musicality...........Is there a tug of War?

@stuartk perhaps you speak of musicianship?  I'm not even sure that's a word.  I am inclined to mostly agree with you.

Many recordings from many genres and cultures from years long past sound as if they were recorded in a less than optimal environment.  It has not stopped them from having a profound influence.   Many examples, but as a guitarist you may be acquainted with folk including Robert Johnson and others similar.

Anyway, back to first world issues of great import...

"You better come on in my kitchen
Well its goin to be rainin outdoors."

@stuartk, you will know it when (and if) you hear it. 

A great system makes everything sound better, like an antique photograph looks better in focus. Even if it is black and white it can express a thousand words. Music is more than sound. It captures a moment of history. It's a long way to Tipperary.  

I should have said “Fidelity is Musicality or Vis-à-versa”.
I like the metaphor that improvement in SQ is akin to focus of a camera. When things sound clear, the focus of the SQ is “right”.

@mijostyn

I sometimes actually prefer to listen to less than optimally recorded music (like an old photograph) on an "ordinary" system like in the car. Focus blurred. Mistakes are forgiven.  Bit of road noise.

Judging by the volume of traffic in other places from people finding a previously favourite recording to be found wanting or difficult when played on an uber expensive high fidelity and high musical system coupled with high sensitivity speakers in a treated listening room, I’m not alone.

As my system continues to  improve, compression on recordings my be the single thing that bothers me the most.