Hmmm, CW, first you say you're tired of the quest for SOTA reproduction, then you ask if there's a component that will allow you to enjoy the music. Do you see a bit of a conflict here? My suggestion is to think of yourself as having two, separate hobbies. One is the pursuit of more accurate reproduction of "the sound of real music in real space." The other is the enjoyment of music. And you don't need the first to do the second. Beethoven is still Beethoven even on a boombox. What makes his symphonies dramatic can be heard even through a thick haze of distortion. So put one of your hobbies aside for awhile. Learn a little about music, and what makes Beethoven--or whatever it is that floats your boat--move you so. (Hint: it's not his sweet tube sound!)
State of the Art? I don t care anymore.
I appreciate the endless obsessive quest to reach the next level of audio nirvana. But I am starting to wonder if it is really making me happy. It seems that the relationship between cost and pleasure is by no means linear. Some systems I have assembled seem to have had just enough performance and resolution to reveal how terrible a recording sounded, or how badly I needed to upgrade an associated component -- but didn't sound good enough to get me to the next level of reality. While I guess that is all part of the "fun", I just want to enjoy music again. I still love audio and I love reading all of your posts, but has anyone else sometimes felt this way? Could someone suggest a romantically, musically colored component or system where, despite their audiophile credentials and enthusiasm, they have forgotten about the equipment and just listened to music? I don't care about earth shattering volume, the deepest bass, the finest resolution, extended highs, accuracy, rock solid imaging etc. Just want to enjoy music again. I know this is not necessarily a new idea, but I find it very very difficult to achieve.