SQ vs. Music

When you get your setup correct you will spend your time listening to the music and forgetting about how it sounds anymore but the journey getting to that point can be a nightmare. It is hard to concentrate on the music if you are worried about the sound so my answer is 70/30 sq to music till you get it right and 95/5 sq to music when all is perfect for your ears and your tastes.

When you are no longer young, as many of us are, We all have a database in our listening history of our favorite music.  Many of my favorites have been heard thousands of time over many systems, using many sources.
You know when it is good, and that is what makes me smile.   I just calculated that I bought my first serious system in 1969/70.  That is over 50 years, or 2,600 weeks.  
I know when to listen to the decay of cymbals, or sustain of guitar.   I have become much more sensitive to source materials.  And I look back and smile at the journey and how lucky I have been.

Never really thought about it. When I sit down to listen, I would guess that I listen more for SQ for a short while and then the music takes over and from then on the SQ is secondary.

Can not breakdown an accurate percentage but I do rate sound quality(SQ) on a scale of 3-5, Anything rated <4 is distracting and takes away the pleasure of music. I would estimate that approximately 1/5 of my collection suffers from being poorly recorded.

Initially thought this was a funny question but now I find it pretty fascinating.

I must be truthful: I listen to the sound quality. Would have liked to say music. But I only buy records I want to hear anyway.

I think I have a sheer joy for the way things sound. I also play drums and they’re meticulously tuned. I will not spend a minute playing until they sound the way I need them to sound.

So I give special attention to how each instrument and the vocals sound on any given track. It gives me a lot of joy and comfort to hear beautiful sounds.

Music is sound first anyway.