Pleasurably better...I like it. I listen to music to relax. When I do comparisons of equipment I base my final decisions on how I feel when listening to it. I consider myself a scientifically and mathematically oriented person but would never want a good measuring (according to what people say is good measuring with what we have available today) piece of equipment to take away the joy I get from listening to something I enjoy. That probably goes to you and @curiousjim's posts above about garage systems and old receivers. If that's what brings them joy, so be it. They probably spend money on something I will never understand why someone would spend money on also.
Pleasurably better, not measurably better
I have created a new phrase: pleasurably better.
I am giving it to the world. Too many technophiles are concerned with measurably better, but rarely talk about what sounds better. What gives us more pleasure. The two may lie at opposite ends of the spectrum.
I use and respect measurements all the time, but I will never let any one of them dictate to me what I actually like listening to.