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

I didn’t know it then, but I had quite a case of synesthesia: whenever I heard music and closed my eyes, I hallucinated wild colors and architectural/geometric shapes.

@desktopguy

I can see where this might be a double edged sword. Although on a good evening or afternoon music can move me quite deeply, to obtain what you sre describing always took/takes ingesting  chemicals, and I will say that I enjoy(ed) it immensely.

However, I can also see where this could become problematic:

I experienced music then as a deeply moving rabbit hole I had trouble climbing out of when it was done.

"to obtain what you sre describing always took/takes ingesting  chemicals"

You're quite right. Later on, when I was in college, I fully explored those chemicals. Sometimes those experiences were wonderful ... occasionally the opposite.

But in any case, hallucinations from mescaline or LSD seemed a bit familiar to me, in quality if not degree.

@desktopguy , I meant to also say that adding music to the equation could turn it into a world I didn’t want to leave. I remember the first time I really truly ’heard" Legend Of A Mind, I was like, ". . . yeah, maaaaan . . . nowww I get it . . .".

Anyway,  I remember a discussion of synesthesia some time ago, and at the time I thought I might have a mild form of it. Letters of the alphabet all do have certain colors for me, and therefore, for me, all words have a color. Also as far as music goes, it does induce colors in my mind; however, not nearly as profoundly as what you described.

Sounds like you think you are alone in putting together a good sounding audio system and realize you can hear all the things important to you with more clarity and detail allowing you to feel the intentions of the artist.

my goals in audio system build out is to hear more detail and nuance of the musicians performance. I have put together such an audio system based on my greater connection with the artists performance.

many folks buy new equipment because it has more watts or a cool light or because its look tickles their fancy. But we need them to keep this market alive  

I think 90% of wine “connoisseurs” are fake and have no idea what good wine is and chase the good review wines from what mags they read. Same thing pretty much in all hobbies  

Its all between the ears!  There is as much difference in people's hearing as there are personalities. What matters is what you like. Like the saying goes, one mans junk, is another man's treasure. One mans dream, is another man's nightmare. One mans audiophile system is another man's Walkman.