How much “suspension of disbelief do you need?”

Yes, I want the instruments and voice to sound real. Realism is vital for me. I have had a good measure of it over the past decade. This increases my enjoyment and immersion into the music. Can hardly think of a sonic attribute more important…at least for me.

This realism helps my system sound like the performers are right in my room. I get this experience with many jazz and vocal recordings. Rickie Lee Jones - Naked Songs is an example. No, cannot get there as well with large orchestral recordings.

@arafiq 

Who is "Mary Jay"?

She’s the cannabis hag. 

A little dab ’ill doya.

If he can’t get blasted without raising a stink he’s in the wrong century.

Have you ever looked at a painting and thought, ’I know it’s a painting but it’s more beautiful than real life’?

That’s what art can do. Mics can be placed on the bottom and top heads of drums in a studio. In a concert, that just won’t happen. So there IS potential to ’get more’ from recording than one might get from a live concert. I haven’t heard it yet...lol. But let’s not say it’s impossible just yet.

No such thing as an 'exact representation' anyway. From what vantage point? The sound will be different for every one.... 2 feet from the performer will not sound like 15 feet from the performer. Orchestra level will not sound like the balcony. Go with what sounds good to you and don't worry about representing anything 'exactly'.