When I listen to my system.......

I love listening to music. I am not particularly interested in the performers. I know a number of folks that play an instrument and they are fascinated with the performers and how they are getting the sounds, or the composition. They listen very differently than I do. I love The Art of Noise as well as symphonies. I get great joy from well reproduced music. For me that is the gestalt… the full spectrum of what music is… rhythm and pace as well as detail and imaging.

I have been led astray in the past by getting too fascinated by being able to hear more minor details and let the music suffer and my system began only sounding great with perfect recordings. So, pursuing high end sound can influence what and how you listen.

There are folks that constantly swap equipment, perhaps enjoying the evaluation process more than actually sitting and listening to music. Some folks own two or more high end systems with vastly different sounds (like solid state and tube) enjoying the sound quality to match their mood.

I like the direct emotional link to the music. One that draws me in and makes me close my eyes and sway. Making most recordings sound great. So, that is the kind of system I put together… it excels balance between all the aspects… detail, bass, tonal balance, imaging, rhythm and pace… etc.

Good gravy, the either-or conundrum again. The Internet gives us infinite choices. We can have it all if you are willing to explore the glorious choices.

There is no right or wrong way to do this. 

 Thanks @ozzy62     One would hope, transiting these forums, that conclusion would have become obvious by now..*sigh*

Well, it gives us all something to troll each over....;)

(...kidding...mabbe...😏...)

Alan Parsons puts a lot of time into their mixes and mastering once said people don't buy equipment to listen to our music they buy our music to listen to their equipment

I subscribe to a couple of audio publications and assume that most people here do as well. When I get the magazines the very first thing I read are the music reviews even though I am anxious to rip into one of the mega buck component articles that will lusciously describe an item I will never be able to own or afford. I have never understood why those music reviews are in the back of the magazine instead of the front because like I said they are the first thing I read.