Does it have to sound good for you to like it?

I've learned to listen within a multi perspective context. Poorer recordings acceptable, even involving if I perceive the recording as historical and/or unique. This acceptance may wear off after hearing said recording many times, at this point I may not be able to hear past the recording.

Mediocre recordings make up the vast majority of recordings in general and recordings I listen to. All have certain liabilities but generally don't rise to the point where they are unlistenable.

Quality recordings can spoil one. The superiority of these recordings used to make it difficult for me to return to lesser ones.

Listening in a contextual mode allows me to just go with the flow, my listening habits these days find me simply choosing a particular genre and let Roon choose at random, recordings within my library, both streams and rips. Listening to music in this manner means recording quality all over the place, I find I'm far more relaxed when NOT making either the music choices based on particular desires at that moment OR making those choices based on recording quality. Letting go of this manner of self consciousness means I much more easily enter the consciousness of the artists. I entered this hobby with that very intention, takes both equipment and mindfulness to get there.

This all requires fairly long listening sessions (4 hours up) for me, and this is the exclusive way I listen with my main system these days.

I try to but when you buy the cheapest copy ,you do get burned. Buyer beware.  

We take turns meeting at each member’s home, allowing each member to host and present/share their music, food, wine/drinks and good company. Most of the members have various consumer-level listening stations: AV receivers, Bluetooth soundbars and even the TV!

@audiodidact That’s awesome, and I’m very jealous — thanks for sharing that. Out of morbid curiosity, have any of the guys with “lesser” systems shown any interest in building a better stereo system after hearing what yours is capable of? Think I know the answer but just wanted to ask. 🫣

i think it misleading to suggest that love of music and love of sound quality are antagonistic. I don’t deny myself enjoyment of any music. If I love it, I listen to it. But, I do limit the recordings I listen to in my main listening room to well produced recordings. I know I’m not alone among members here in having spent a lot of time and money to build a resolving system that as faithfully as possible presents what is stored on the source medium. I doubt I’m alone in having built my system not simply to enjoy the sound of sound, as Mr Parsons suggests. I built it to enjoy music I love. When the source is wonderful, my main system enhances the pleasure of listening to well recorded music: my listening room is filled with the beautiful sounds of beautiful recordings of beautiful music! But, if the source is noisy, its presentation is noisy, and I fatigue fairly quickly. Not always, but mostly I avoid those recordings on my main rig. Not to worry, I have a second system perfect for those sources. It is neither highly resolving nor capable of wide and deep staging. The presentation is distant, As such, it is perfect for the poorly recorded music I love. I can happily dance the night away in that room with nary a thought to sound quality. What’s more, I feel confident better recordings of some personal faves would only diminish my listening pleasure. Some music is intended to be offensively noisy and I like it like that. The music is all I need to be transported. But, listening to a great recording on my main rig is more than transporting. It’s transfixing. It’s a different listening experience. And, I like that, too.

Let’s not forget how we perceive...

If a "lesser quality" track or record is played in between good recording, it will be bothersome for most. I read one comment about a boot leg. I got one from back in the day recorded via some Shure Ear Plug type of microphone 30 rows out from a Europe concert and it really captured the stadium with "all that" it was a great listen but playing this following a studio track and it became awkward.

I would argue, if you come with an empty (or open) mind and listen to a great performance even on a lesser quality recording it is more enjoyable. I think we often stereotype what we are listening for (ha! pun of the day)...