shadorne covered what I was going to say, but I'll add my experience with my playback system.
Often what I hear is beautiful music that sounds full range, clear, present, and it's easy to imagine I"m hearing what sounds like live, natural sound. *
But at times what comes across sounds obviously artificial, with lack of substance, treble that verges on graininess, and a confined sound stage. Hard to imagine anything natural about the sound.
I've come to the conclusion that the difference is not equipment, or power quality type issues. It's my perception of what I am hearing that changes.
One of the clues that this is the case, is that I can many times change perception at will. If I concentrate on listening to the musicians, vocalist, and recording environment, I can often be amazed at how "real" life like the sound is. But I can then conscientiously shift my focus to the short comings of the recording/playback process, of which there are many, and the sound loses much of its beauty, sounding like the miserable excuse for live music that it is. haha.
It's hard to describe exactly, partly because my shifting perception is mostly unconscience. This is also the basis of why I don't bother with tweaks.
* Bad recordings always sound bad
Often what I hear is beautiful music that sounds full range, clear, present, and it's easy to imagine I"m hearing what sounds like live, natural sound. *
But at times what comes across sounds obviously artificial, with lack of substance, treble that verges on graininess, and a confined sound stage. Hard to imagine anything natural about the sound.
I've come to the conclusion that the difference is not equipment, or power quality type issues. It's my perception of what I am hearing that changes.
One of the clues that this is the case, is that I can many times change perception at will. If I concentrate on listening to the musicians, vocalist, and recording environment, I can often be amazed at how "real" life like the sound is. But I can then conscientiously shift my focus to the short comings of the recording/playback process, of which there are many, and the sound loses much of its beauty, sounding like the miserable excuse for live music that it is. haha.
It's hard to describe exactly, partly because my shifting perception is mostly unconscience. This is also the basis of why I don't bother with tweaks.
* Bad recordings always sound bad