Live vs home system???

I know where you are coming from

many recordings are engineered to the point where you are actually reproducing the engineers idea of what the sound should be. Voices and pianos are two things to strive to get right. Many symphony orchestras can sound somewhat believable on a good system with dynamic speakers. The image will be smaller but can be believable when you close you eyes and listen.

I agree that non amplified live music is the goal to strive for. Many of the live concerts I've attended appear to mix all the tracks into one mono feed so that no matter where you are seated you will hear it all. Unfortunately, localization of the individual instruments is lost and sometimes drowned out by the base. The quality of the sound systems are geared more toward volume then toward detail. Studio recordings or remixed live performances often sound better. There is still no replacing the energy and high of the live concert. Even with all its short comings. I just saw Hot Tuna at the Becon and it was great. I can't wait to Sting tomorrow night

The OP has it wrong in my opinion. There is no comparing. Recorded music and life music are two different beasts altogether. When buying a hifi system you should buy something which sounds pleases you. You should not compare it to life music. With life music there are so many variables and again with recorded music there are again many variables but completely different ones that in my opinion you should not compare the two.

Go to live acoustic jazz or a classical Symphony concert, sit in the center row or in the center of the jazz club at about the center of that theater or club and listen. If you can get you system close to this sound you are there.

Often what I have been noticing with todays large slim line array so called accurate time aligned speakers is that the instruments and performers seem like they are 10' tall. Although accurately placed but when Jimi Hendix sounds like he and his guitar are playing from the first floor to the second floor I never really felt this was an accurately display of what a live performance is supposed to sound like acoustic or amplified

The only speakers I have come across that seem to give an accurate display of a live performance are Westlake Audio and PMC. Ironically they both make speakers for the professional sound reinforcement industry.

I'm not a classical music listener but have attended a few symphony's and you will be amazed at what you hear. Bass to beyond 20HZ tight clean and fast! Hits you slightly in the center of your chest. A good jazz club you have instruments that feel 3-D sounding stand up bass and piano more forward with drums deeper behind but very wide display and having that snap that is very hard for allot of speakers to reproduce accurately.

Give it a try and you'll have a whole perspective on what your system should sound like

Happy listening

Ed