I find the extent to which I am drawn into the music versus the system is the result of the sonic character of the sound. The higher the rhythm and pace, midrange bloom and the lower the unnecessary emphasis on details and artificial transparency, the more the emotional connection and your mind is simply drawn into the music... your analytical side is bored and your emotional side draws you in.
I talk about this in different ways, since, in part I am still trying to figure out exactly what the variables are and how to talk about them. I have been auditioning a number of components recently. They conveniently fall into the two ends of a spectrum: sound spectacular or musical - natural category. In the former my head moves around the huge sound field that stretches floor to ceiling and out along the side walls examining all the holographic areas of sounds, It is amazing, my mind is drawn to examine each instrument the texture, its edges. My analytical side loves this.
On the other hand, a warm and natural rendition literally has my analytical side poke up and try to examine some instrument and my emotional side just says... NO, I just don’t care, go away. Allow my consciousness to get lost in the music. This is what my system does now. So you draw in one side or the other, or a combination.
I have owned systems from one side to the other. It is a characteristic of the system. When you assemble all parts that are natural and musical... you get pulled into the music... when all are of sound spectacular variety, then it’s like going to the... what was that Omni Theater.... the big dome theater. It is incredible... your head cranks all over the place to see everything.
To me building a system brings out my analytical side. But for listening I want a musical system. So the trick is to tell your analytical side to build a system for your musical side... and you will get sucked into the musical side when you listen.
Both my headphone system and main system are like that now... geez... took me decades to figure that out.