Maybe critical listening skills are bad?

@inagroove 
"Fertile ground?"  Wear your boots...no, not the 'on the town' pair, nooo....
...sometimes waders and shoulder-length rubber gloves seem to be advisable....

I've trended to align with @mahgister that ultimately The Room dictates what will occur within it, and care taken with that in mind and hand will determine if one's expenditures will yield the desired effects....

The fact that I've seemed to always have been doomed to that side trip in the rabbit hole hasn't stopped me from making the attempt to tame the dragon and make it purrr...

If not perfection (typ.? no....), at least to 'practical satisfaction'....because Reality Manipulation is a bitch.  Having adopted active room eq quite awhile ago, it helps but does not cure that gulf between 'There' and a mere reproduction of 'there'...

Long-term dipole and omni sort, I finally bet on 'Ignoring the Room', quite like a variant of HT surround with no screen other than one's audible version of one.

(...Yes, there is a screen, but that's beside the point but effected by....but...🤷‍♂️...)

One means is running a pair of calibrated mics to a pair of eq's in parallel and monitor in R/T....tweak to sweet....in the midst. 

A little extreme, but when running this, that, and assorted junque you wring out of it all what it can achieve and you like....

Works for me....only has to, actually.  ;)

My argument about precise imaging was about how in person listening I don’t get the same imaging illusion. If I close my eyes I can’t place instruments nearly as well as I demand from my stereo.

I argue that we seek out imaging that is too precise because we lack the visual information. It’s like Kurosawa adding smoke to a volcano because the film won’t convey heat.

Whatever your thoughts are on imagine though, it's just another detail which we may be so critical of we fail to actually enjoy the experience.

If we can agree that we see differences in art or beauty that are are a consequence of physical, mental, and perhaps emotional, we begin to see the complexity in which are audio preferences are shaped.

We generally arrange our music systems to fit our surroundings. The speakers won't care, the cables won't either, if you are only getting 30% of the performance from them. If we want more precision, like picking up on a fine cable or vibration control, we need to push further.

IMO we need to get our rooms right if we want to learn to listen critically, otherwise there are too many variables. We will find good sound, but only with a perfectly set room, with extreme attention to reflection points (if you want imaging), etc. will the fruits of your labors be rewarded.

I've learned to set up my systems, and it's always meant repositioning speakers (not dedicated space most of the years). I've really been able to appreciate the nuances of a Nordost cable, or a dedicated line. IME most box speakers want to be 4-5 feet from the rear wall and a few feet from the sides. Put your speakers on beach towels, make big moves with them, look and create a listening hall in your room, create symmetry, soften the space with rugs and some diffusion. Play with filling the corners with pillows and place blankets around. Start big and refine.

So many times we have huge speakers in a shoe box room, inches from the walls with little thought of your hall, your room, the greater speaker, gets strangled in the chaos of confusion and suppression of the sound. 

I would suggest an approach that's brought me some fun...think of your next listening session as hosting a concert in your space. Position your gear to get the most out of it (this has to be part of the audiophile process IMO). It might take 5-10 'concerts' to do this, but once your found your best stage or hall, or atmosphere, and volume, where there is no strain in the amp or overhang in the bass, your critical job is done so enjoy (until you pop in a new interconnect lol). 

From this 'fundamental' positioning (whether it's permanent if dedicated or whatever) you have a new base to experiment with tone from a new tube, or a new power cable, etc. Most important thing to me is to enjoy this experience, have fun, and learn to have those performers emotion and passion in your room. Like anything else in life it takes lots of work and energy. Good luck.

"How much do I hear?” 

“That’s metaphysically absurd, man! How could I know what you hear?”

Firesign Theatre, Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me The Pliers

@erik_squires wrote:

I argue that we seek out imaging that is too precise because we lack the visual information.

+1