I think a good analogy here would be a high-definition television. You feed it a low-res source like a vcr and you will regret it. Feed it a nice hi-def signal and it is outstanding.
I guess what I'm trying to say here is that your individual goals should be considered. One has to understand, that with the ultimate resolution of playback equipment, lesser quality material will not be a pleasure to listen to. This is a price to pay, in most cases.
I try to strike a balance somewhere between hi-rez and musicality, although it is tough to achieve so I think my system leans more towards musicality now, although about 4-5 years ago, I couldn't listen to a less than perfect recording and about 90% of my music collection was just collecting dust. Now I am able to play almost any cd and still enjoy it. Not all of them for critical listening, but at least these discs don't drive me out of the room like they used to.
I guess what I'm trying to say here is that your individual goals should be considered. One has to understand, that with the ultimate resolution of playback equipment, lesser quality material will not be a pleasure to listen to. This is a price to pay, in most cases.
I try to strike a balance somewhere between hi-rez and musicality, although it is tough to achieve so I think my system leans more towards musicality now, although about 4-5 years ago, I couldn't listen to a less than perfect recording and about 90% of my music collection was just collecting dust. Now I am able to play almost any cd and still enjoy it. Not all of them for critical listening, but at least these discs don't drive me out of the room like they used to.