Good old days

rv, based on the impression left from reading your posts you are clearly a true music lover. You have started several threads which address essentially the same conflict that you struggle with as described in this OP. You clearly struggle with this issue, I first became aware of this conflict when you posted a comment about a recording of a performance that I recommended on your thread of (if memory serves) Mahler, “Das Lied…”. The discussion had been about great performances of this work, not SQ. Yet, I was surprised (to say the least) that you found the recording to be “unlistenable” due to the quality of the sound. An amazing performance with SQ that, to me, on a scale of 1-10 is a 6, maybe even a 7.  Certainly high enough to let the music carry the day in spite of less than fantastic SQ.

IMO, you don’t need to give up your stereo.

In another recent thread you described how you enjoy music more when listening “casually” and not analyzing the sound, I found this curious. Music can be enjoyed to its fullest, not by “casual” listening, but by serious listening…..to the music, not the sound. You, like many of us audiophiles have a penchant for analyzing. So, why not scratch the analysis itch with the music instead of the sound? My suggestion would be to take a course or more on music theory, orchestration or music history, dig deep into the history of favorite composers. There is so much to learn that one can’t learn from liner notes. You play piano. Start taking lessons again. Some feel that analysis of the music detracts from the emotional involvement, I believe that is nonsense. The more one learns about music the more one enjoys it.

Good luck.

@frogman 

I believe that formal analysis can detract from musical enjoyment. I believe one intuitively analyzes by extended listening.
I probably misled by using the term “casual listening”. A better term is relaxed listening. Certainly being actively involved in the music is paramount. That is achieved best when I’m relaxed. 
‘Although I have a Masters in piano from Juilliard and a PhD in music theory and history from NYU, I got my musical inspiration and love of classical music as a child listening to radio stations in New York. I always endeavor to recover that feeling. 
  Expressing myself through this forum has been helpful to me in diagnosing the pitfalls of sound addiction.  I also hope it relates to others who have the same experience.
  

I don’t mean to burst your bubble. But before you hang up your HI-FI boots you might want to consider a different type of speaker. A simple British 2 way BBC design might be the ticket. Spendor, Harbeth, Graham are some that just might get you off the Merry-Go-Round that you have been on all these years!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqFIaiPT_kY

I think you’re on the right track.  
I pity the fool who sacrifices the beauty, wonder, and splendor of music to obsess over Audio Nervosa.  
If that is indeed the case, screw it.  
Life’s too short.  Music is too good.  
Good sound is good and all, but it’s not better than music.

rvpiano, I can relate. When you read reviews, a good sound system is supposed to have a wide soundstage, depth, layering, etc. So when we listen to our own systems we tend to listen for those things, cause we get programmed to do so. However, we don't care about those things with car stereos, portable players, etc. I often admire how good my Alexa speaker sounds. I don' worry about how it sounds because I don't expect much. Not the case when you spend thousands on a sound system.