I think that is a really important question. I think it is easy to follow the easy to discern sound characteristics like detail, slam, imaging, and in some sense transparency and head off and create a system that is not musical. It is really easy to do. It is not that you do not want that, but you want really good rhythm and pace and a fully fleshed out midrange and bass… particularly rhythm and pace. It took me decades to put my finger on it. If the midrange and bass are not fully fleshed out you get more slam and it highlights the treble… hence sounding more detailed. So, the details of the sounds, venue, and mastering techniques are highlighted… out of proportion. I and others have mentioned, when I go to a symphony performance or acoustic jazz performance you don’t go: “Holy cow, listen to that detail!I can hear the oboist foot move”. The details are there but you have to listen for them.
I think back over the last fifty years and a number of times I was emotionally effected by a system… the emotional connection was incredible. But each of these systems were not on my current system path. Each and every one of these systems were all tube systems. Like Cary, VAC, Audio Research. Over the decades one by one each of my components ended up being tube. I imagine you could put together a non - tube really musical system. But honestly I have heard dozens and dozens of spectacular systems… I have owned a lot of fantastic component. Great systems… that I loved for their natural sound, imaging , and amazing rendering. But true emotional connection… has only come to me with tubes. Now I am sure it can be done. But it is hard enough to put together a great system, why make it harder? That’s me.
So, how do you find it. Listen to systems. Sit down, close your eyes, and try not to concentrate on the slam, the details… how does the music make you feel? I remember I was auditioning components and tears came to my eyes I was simply overwhelmed emotionally by the music… buy that.
