Musical Speakers - If you like that sort of thing.

I generally agree that there are two aspects to this hobby, but I would frame them somewhat differently. For me, the two aspects are 1) the "illusion" aspect and 2) the "pleasure" aspect. I think of the first as being a more intellectual endeavor. Based on the information my ears are receiving, how much do I have to suspend my disbelief that I have been transported to the recording venue? The second is more emotional. Regardless of realism or lack thereof, is what I'm hearing stimulating the pleasure centers of my brain, or is it grating on my nerves? I decided years ago (after some difficult and expensive lessons) that my first concern must be with the pleasure aspect. So, for example, if a piece of equipment excels as creating an illusion of a soundstage, but the string section on that soundstage is reminiscent of fingers on a blackboard, then to heck with the illusion. I prefer a more euphonic blob of undifferentiated sound. That said, this is just the starting point. From the euphonic blob, future improvements should go toward enhancing the illusion while maintaining the pleasure. One could work in the reverse order, but why suffer while reaching for the ultimate goal, which is a pleasurable musical experience that creates the illusion of being in the original recording space?

One of the most basic truths in life is that we all like different things. It's no different in the world of music reproduction. As many eloquently explained above, many audiophiles like to be able to extract the smallest detail embedded in the record or CD and that's what tickles their brain. Others, like myself, want to be able to listen to the sound of music and be excited not by detail, but by the sound as a whole; the sum of its parts will put me in a different realm of experience; it's almost like being in a trance. I don't want to analyze; I want to experience. At the most basic level, it is a simple tap test; I've auditioned many a speaker where I could hear the artist's take a breath in and guess the length of the guitarist's nails, but was unmoved. The same music through a different speaker would make me tap my foot and nod my head saying, "yeah." That's musicality to me.

At the most basic level, it is a simple tap test; I've auditioned many a speaker where I could hear the artist's take a breath in and guess the length of the guitarist's nails, but was unmoved. The same music through a different speaker would make me tap my foot and nod my head saying, "yeah." That's musicality to me.

It is certainly possible to have both resolution and musicality (for lack of a better way of describing that which makes your foot start to tappin'). They are not necessarily exclusive one each other.

let me confuse the issue somewhat if i may. after many years of upgrading and changing out one piece of equipment for another, i finally got a pair of B&W 801s3
speakers, at one time considered the "audio end of the road" and my dream come true. they had excellent DEEP bass, superbly fast and transparent midrange, and good (if not great) tweeter, plus a newly simplified crossover (series-3). i loved them to death, and i still do.
but several years later opportunity knocked for me to obtain a (demo) pair of Eggleston Andra-1's, which had (still has) one of the best tweeters ever made. when they were finally delivered and set-up in MY living room, it took all of 5 minutes for me to wonder how i could have waited so long to get them- they were so much more integrated than the 801's, which spoke with 3 different voices instead of one. the dynaudio tweeter was a total revelation- sweet and smooth but still extended.
the bass was tighter, reproduction of piano was on a whole other level, etc. ad infinitum.
So, which speaker was more musical/more accurate? they were BOTH highly musical speakers, but the Egglestons were more of everything (and three times more expensive). later i upgraded them to Andra-2's, and they surprised and elated me all over again.
both speakers demanded great up-stream components and good recordings. But considering perhaps the alternatives- like some (cheap) boomy speakers obtained from "best buy" that gloss over bad recordings, or even expensive speakers like the Wilson W/P-5's that were known to be analytical sounding in spite of being resolving and accurate, I know which speakers I prefer. The only problem is that it took ME 20-some odd years to be able to save up the money to get them.

I agree with Duke, and I will add that I think it is all an illusion, one big musical lie.
Some lies are better than other lies.