Testing your system

Well getting "musical messages" can be successfully achieved using no system at all whether you listen with your heart or more trivial ears. In fact I really do prefer getting musical messages without any audio system for example from guitar or from piano...

Yes, choosing musically satisfying components as opposed to analyzing the level of detail and slam as your primary criteria is a great way to get a musically fulfilling and satisfying system. The trick is developing the skills and experience to do it.

The gist is know what real acoustic instruments and music sounds like and try to listen to the music and not the components when auditioning. Once again, easier said than done.

I agree.  It’s easy to fall in love short term with a lot of stuff out there, because honestly there is a lot of good stuff out there 

The trick is ending up with gear that you are afraid to change or part with because it sounds so good. 
 

@oddiofyl 

Good thoughts. 
 

But for me. “The trick is to end up with gear that is so completing and alluring, you simple cannot imagine something could sound better. Happily that is where I am… although I know it is possible.

Over the decades, I have been afraid to change or part with it… because of the chaos that might, and did ensue. To me, I am in the better of the two.

When I sit listening with my eyes closed and find myself smiling and/or tapping my toe, that’s the best test of my system.