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

@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. 

@audition...............



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

Thats where I am going with this if you notice increased compression when fidelity increases.......the system is less musical.

There is some spectacular mid fi systems out there...

@mijostyn:

"The best systems make everything sound better, everything. When confronted with a system capable of the absolute sound everyone will think it sounds great. Everyone knows what "right" is when they hear it."

I'm curious: what percentage of audiophiles would you suspect are able to afford one of the "best systems"? 

@noske:

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

Musicianship is mastery of expressive means. That is half the equation.  The other half is having something valuable to express. 

There exist musicians who display dazzling technique yet who's playing communicates little-- there is an emptiness at the heart of it, 

Likewise, there are musicians with limited technique who manage to convey something profound.