In Classical music the effect of SQ on appreciation

As in your example where I have multiple copies of the same musics SQ is rarely the major issue. I am usually attracted to simple things like tempos and dynamics that tend to define the performance. Think Kleiber's Beethoven's 5th, or Richter's 1958 Sofia live recording. Kleiber's SQ is OK, Richter's Sofia is abysmal but the performances are essential if not definitive. FWIW, I'm no longer attracted to a recording because of its SQ - I'm more interested in new performers, new music,  new performances of familar music. My system is good enuf for me so I don't really think about SQ, and frankly don't want to. Intrudes too much. (That is why I gave away my vinyl system, I found myself too connected to SQ at the expense of immersion into the music.)

Newbie,

Yes, Richter’s Sophia recording is a cough fest.

As far as Carlos Kleiber’s Beethoven 5th I have the regular CD as well as a DVD-A and an SACD of the performance.

As you can tell, SQ IS important to me as well, although I don’t think think it’s healthy.

SQ is huge. I never was able to enjoy classical much at all until my system got there. In the last year between Tekton, Townshend, and Soundsmith, now all of a sudden classical is compelling. Then in terms of records, put on a White Hot Stamper, Tchaikovsky 1812, holy cow now you're talking! 

Completely agree with Newbee!

How much does it affect my “judgment” of the music? Not that much. Good sonics is always a great thing, but my system and I would say, the vast majority of systems owned by Audiogon members, even the systems that I would never put together myself, don’t do so much damage to the sound on the vast majority of recordings that the musical content would not rise above the damage. In fact, I would say that, for me, a good metric of sorts is that the better the music is the more tolerant I am of less than perfect sonics and the worse the music the more that I need ear candy from the sonics to bother listening.  All within (audiophillic) reason.

Consider a fantastic performance by a great orchestra in a crappy hall. One’s ears (can) adjust to the available sonics and the focus (can) become the musical content; sonic limitations and all. It’s a mind set of sorts. Obviously, this is not always the same set of priorities held by every listener, or to the same degree, and is not a matter of judgment. I’m always a little baffled by just how quick some are to deem a recording “unlistenable”.

Start out with the focus truly on the music and I think a lot of the angst goes away.

For the most part, I want as high a quality of recording as possible.

But, the fact remains that there are many artists that have unique interpretations that, due to the lousy mike placement/recording tech, have low quality recordings. In these cases, I can make allowances for poor audio quality as their interpretations/technique are so good.

B