The stereo systems purchased by some on Audiogon cost far more than the equipment purchased and used by musicians in a live performance. Therefore, your stereo may sound "cleaner" but because of the human interaction and emotion, etc, the live event can never be duplicated. I have only heard one live concert where the live performance sounded exactly like a recording. Even at that particular event, no stereo system could replace "being there". Even a live performance at a Sunday church service with a not so good sound system is usually better than listening to the duplication of something on a quality home audio system. Live is more soul stirring. Just my opinion.
Detailed sound? Real?
I have read about many audiophiles wanting more detail and air around the instruments to improve realism. usually, when i hear a system with these qualities, the sound is almost always thin and fatiguing. When I hear live music, it never sounds like air around the instruments and detailed. Most detailed systems sound way too detailed. When i hear live music, there is a sense of air, but not around the instruments. Actually, many times it sounds natural and mono. It seems to me that detailed systems are probably the most unrealistic in audio. Yesterday I heard a live performance of a piano and sax. The piano was so muffled sounding, much more so than on any system I have recently heard. The sax sounded more detailed, but still not like the stereos portray it. I think the secret to listening is to find something that sounds good and that you can listen to without fatigue. Natural Timbre, color and good bass, not overblown but good, gets you closer to the real thing IMHO