Hmm. Already getting some spread in the data! I will readily admit that really good music can poke its way thru poor equipment. I experience this all the time while listening to tunes over the radio in the metal alloyed, four wheeled, transportation device (car). In fact, I choose most of the music I buy based upon what I hear in the car, which is not a quality sound system. Of course, you could argue the point that it IS a quality system because it DOES allow enough of the music to get thru to become involved in the event. But I'm really curious as to what point in an "Audiophile's" evolution does the "system" reach a fundamental and unmistakable musical rightness that just can't be ignored by that person. I knew immediately when I crossed that threshold in my system. I knew I was on the right track and something special was happenning. I just would like to know at what point that happenned to others. I'm sure it doesn't take much for some people to get there but I'm also sure it takes more for others. The variation in what it takes for the emmotional response to the music to domminate the intellectual desire to fart around with the system, I find fascinating!
Musical threshold event
This thread is related to several others concerning being an Audiophile versus a music lover....but a shade different. From my own personnal experience and from conversations I've had with others, as a person is building their system, there seems to be a threshold beyond which the beauty of the music suddenly grabs your attention instead of the beauty of the sound. After that threshold is crossed, the music is front and center. Recordings are listened ALL the way thru and there is less pre-disposition to mess around with the equipment, perhaps, in part, out of fear of loosing the magic. For me this happened when I got a pair of Forte 4s to drive my Martin Logan Quests. The music grabbed my attention instead of the sound (which was also quite good). All of my equipment purchases past that point have been in pursuit of the musical experience. Sound quality matters, but compliments, instead of dominates my equipment selections. I'd like to know at what points all of you crossed that threshold and what combination of equipment got you there. Contrasting that threshold point for vinyl and digital would be neat too.