Real or Surreal. Do you throw accuracy out the window for "better" sound?

I agree, and it’s a type of psychological disorder that’s not uncommon. The equipment or whatever the object of desire becomes the ultimate end point in our minds when it is supposed to be a means to an end. The question to keep in mind is what do I really, really want? What are all the ways I might be able to get there? Are there ways to get there that are better than others, with fewer drawbacks and side effects?

If I go down the rabbit hole too far I start to see that ultimately I really don’t want anything. So I have to back off and settle with the notion that I want to be happy and physically well. I’m not really sure I even want that, but I’m sure I don’t want to be unhappy and physically unwell.

You are right!

But i will add that it is not only the mere question about what we really want with the gear we purchase, it is about BASIC ACOUSTICS knowledge , which is missing among obsessed audiophiles who focus on gear ownership instead of learnings.. ...

And being not an english speaker i made the mistake for years speaking about acoustics to write it with no (s) at the end of the world... But acoustic in the singular form is an adjective relating to room physical acoustic not to the more general science called acoustics which include room acoustic and psycho-acoustic...

@mahgister @inna "But there is way more to upgrading and optimizing than just reaching smoothness."

I understand where you are coming from. When I first plugged in my cost-no-object DIY phono/pre, I wasn’t sure I liked it - where were the high frequencies? It was all too smooth and too easy to like - then I played some Chopin, and the piano on the system sounded a lot more like the piano upstairs. Vocalists sounded like people that I knew. I realized that I had been listening to more distortion than music.

My pursuit of smoothness is predicated on a certain basic level of equipment, like not a single electrolytic cap anywhere in the signal path. Even so, YMMV.

I did not wanted to criticize you with my answer...

Just point out that there is more than "smoothness" for an audio system to be set right...

I wish you the best there is... Thanks for your explanation... I understand better your point...

I understand where you are coming from. When I first plugged in my cost-no-object DIY phono/pre, I wasn’t sure I liked it - where were the high frequencies? It was all too smooth and too easy to like - then I played some Chopin, and the piano on the system sounded a lot more like the piano upstairs. Vocalists sounded like people that I knew. I realized that I had been listening to more distortion than music.

My pursuit of smoothness is predicated on a certain basic level of equipment, like not a single electrolytic cap anywhere in the signal path. Even so, YMMV.

mahgister

"But no need to be offended it seems i am not as yourself an audiophile either.. I thought i was one but it seems no...my research for the optimal ratio soundfield quality/price is a renunciation to be a member of this selected club for the OP it seems ... The most important members must had the biggest wallet it seems.. Perfection had a cost in gear price"... 😊

I’m starting to see that in this thread as well. I too was apparently mistaking myself for an audiophile. How could I have known that 50+ years of spending a small fortune buying, selling and trading HiFi gear in the pursuit of my dream music listening system eventually would count for nothing in the eyes of my peers because I have not been properly listening to it? I’ve even bought gear because I liked the way it looked! Oh, the shame, the shame! I guess I’m also a ’poser’ because the most I’ve ever spent on a single piece of gear was $5k. If I had known way back when that I was eventually going to be outed, I would still be using my RCA fold open record player and have a lot more money in the bank...🤔😉

@mahgister 

I did not say they are not related. The vast majority of audiophiles love music. The vast majority of music lovers are not audiophiles. 

@asctim 

That was tongue in cheek. The problem really is that I have to beg, borrow and steal to get the equipment I want, at least until recently.

What I really want is a certain sound and image quality. It is not imaginary even though most of the time I have to imagine it. It is an audiophile process, not a music lover process and I am not on any antipsychotics......yet. I also have a clear path to that goal. I know exactly where I am going and why.

@rcm1203 

That last comment was way off base. As a 13 year old I cleared driveways of snow to get the money to buy my first real HiFi gear, Dynakits that I had to build. I usually bought used gear like my first real turnable a TD124 mk2. I have always made my own interconnects and build my own subwoofers. The best equipment is not cheap, it is also not hyper expensive. That Luxury HiFi stuff is the equivalent of a HiFi Rolex and IMHO a waste of money.