Is a highly discerning system enjoyable?


I argue that in terms of musical enjoyment, connection, feeling the musicians and composers maybe a highly discerning system is going too far? Maybe I want the warts airbrushed out.  Maybe I like a system that lets me listen to a broader range of recordings  without whincing?

Then there’s systems which are discerning of performances vs. discerning of upstream gear. I personally feel they are not the same thing at all.

Lastly, if your room is an acoustic mess, how can you tell?

If you feel strongly either way I'd appreciate examples of the gear that made you go one way or another.

erik_squires

What you need is a system that can separate the instruments, but still give you emotional enjoyment, that way you have all the details without the fatigue.

I feel lucky that no matter how bad the recording, my main system seems to reproduce it in a musical and involving manner. Having a second tonearm helps. If all else fails, I move to the second, less incisive, but equally musical rig in the same space.

Which system? There are probably many highly discerning systems that you would not like more than your current one.