Can a great system make a mediocre recording sound good?

Garbage in equals garbage out. I have good vinyl playback now and records I do not like go to the dump.  Bad digital gets deleted from the NAS.

@jcs01

I have found that as your system gets better with better equipment, what you thought was mediocre gets better too.

The problem with the "garbage in = garbage out" argument  is inaccurate  . IE, What happens when you pour pure water into polluted water? The pure becomes polluted also. This is what happens with mediocre systems. how do you know that the mediocre music you hear is a product of a mediocre recording or mediocre system?

The only way to know is if you hear it in a great system. But who takes their mediocre music to a $100K system? Few, if any

@artemus_5 But who takes their mediocre music to a $100K system? Few, if any

If by mediocrity you mean bad mastering, I beg to differ.

Many people bring such music to their mega systems, probably most people. Because as you rightly imply, a better system gives you better sound, so you hear your favourite music as well as is possible under the circumstances. If the musicians have passed away or are not longer recording, that recording is all we have, and a good system makes that living better 😀

the music is what counts, and IMHO any system should br geared towards getting the best out of every recording.. ie the system should be subservient, to the music and not merely a showpiece for demonstration records.