Quality system, make poor recordings sound better?

A system can be "better" in terms of extension and resolution, but not distortion, and that can make a large number of recordings sound bad.

But my goal is to improve through lower distortion wherever the case, as tough as it is to do. And I mean the important distortions, ringing in analog front ends, intermodulation on speakers, ringing tweeters on speakers, etc. And by doing this I find I get much more detail, more insight into the performance, yet much more listening ease at the same time. And I find that a larger number of recordings sound better, not just a few.

Offsetting colorations, the old "yin and yang" theory, does not get you there as each coloration is a distortion. When you decide to live with colored (in a more than average sense) components you are just stacking up more distortion, so while you might get a semblance of "neutral tonality", it will be loaded with distortion, and not easy or fulfilling to listen to.

There is no such thing as a neutral, balanced system that is "so accurate it is hard to listen to on most records". That is a system that is the opposite, it has veered from neutrality.

Absolutely Whart, getting a very clear midrange that also is grain free, well, the only way is low distortion. And I agree, sins of omission, like not extending real high at the top end, easy to live with if the mids are right. So many "high end" speakers have harsh upper mids and a very clumsy transition to the tweeter, yet folks not their heads in unison because of the wonderful cabinets, great finishes, high prices, and big claims by the manufacturers.