You can go home again

When I was a kid, I bought a mono Columbia of the Marlboro Festival under Casals, and first heard it on a Magnavox all in one record player with a built in amp and single cone mono speaker, and I remember being transported by the beauty of it. (I was a very odd 14 year old!) 
I still have that record and listened to it recently... and it still beautiful, and it took me right back there to my parents living room in 1967.
I think of course our first experience of something sets the bar, and of course I now have better sounding recordings, but none more meaningful.
For me, it's the gestalt. And to each their own.

This is a fantastic question.  I know it has impacted what genres of music I prefer. I absolutely think it has affected my preferences for music reproduction. I spent my childhood around unamplified musical instruments and choirs. I didn't attend my first real rock concert until I was a teenager. Everything live before that was simple ensembles and basic amplification. The first real "stereo system" I ever heard belonged to the older brother of a friend. It was a turntable set up with home made horn speakers with big woofers. He loved progressive music (Pink Floyd, ELP, Rush, etc.) and he played it loud. It probably explains my eclectic taste in music to this day.

The system I have put together works fantastic for simple acoustical styles in live settings. It also allows me to play heavier, faster, and more layered styles just as well (at least to me).

I favor a system that reproduces live instruments/vocals as I remember hearing them as a kid and yet allows me to play progressive music really loud.  

Cheers!

Most of us accept that audio memory is very short and pretty poor.
So where sounds are closely matched few people can reliably distinguish in AB tests even where A B and X are presented at very short intervals.  Some here try to perpetuate the myth that one can 'learn' how to listen.  This doesn't really work.

So unfortunately there is no way we can reliably remember sound quality from 40 years ago or whatever.

Most of us accept that audio memory is very short and pretty poor.

How do professional musicians know what to play if audio memory is very short and poor? Just curious. 

They remember, the same way someone can call after 20 years and you know exactly who it is. I remember just fine. You have to train yourself.. It is learned and the more you practice the better you get at it.. the difference between a parts changer and a mechanic.
THEY REMEMBER, the difference in sounds..

Musicians are the same way..

Nothing short or poor about people that are trained to listen.. Silly statement at the least..

Regards