Detlof, the opening sentence of your post is IMO one of the most important, if not the most important consideration for an audiophile who is truly serious about becoming a more astute and sophisticated listener. Well said; I particularly appreciated your "no matter what kind of music" comment. Bravo! Many audiophiles try to ignore this reality, but there is no getting around this fact.
I have ranted and raved about this issue several times in previous threads so I know that this is a sensitive issue for some. So, to set the record straight, I will also say that this reality does not imply that any given audiophile, who for whatever reason can't or won't attend live performances, can not be a good, critical, or appreciative listener. Or that a person who does, is necessarily one of extraordinary listening ability. It does mean that without this kind of exposure, a listener (audiophile) can not achieve the highest level of ability to discern the finest and most subtle nuances that music is full of, or to be a good judge of what "accuracy" in sound reproduction really is.
I listen to live music, on average, at least twenty hours a week; not counting personal practice time (about that much over again). I am a professional musician.
Check out "The Fifth Element" by John Marks, in the current (September) issue of Stereophile. One of the finest pieces that I have ever seen in that mag. Happy listening and thank you for bringing up this subject again.
