System synergy and enjoying the music is certainly what our hobby is all about. It is not just a matter of proper TONAL balance, but instead, discovering what components and cables work well together to compliment each other, our listening preferences, AND our listening rooms. Unfortunately, there is no "magic formula" that we can go by to determine this. There may be a few "rules of thumb" we may discover over the years that may tend to steer us in the right direction, but it is often a personal thing.
I have helped other fellow audiophiles put together systems, assisting them with their quest, and one thing I have learned is that what may sound great to one person, can often sound rather un-pleasing to others. We all have personal preferences as to what we find as either "pleasant sounding" or "correct". Also, people tend to enjoy different types of music as well, and the presentation of that music will also vary. If someone prefers hard rock, and does not have an interest in, say violin or female voice, then one would tend to build a system around that preference. I always try to get a feel for an individuals' musical taste and listening preference before making any suggestions. I would prefer to have them hear a few different systems first, and getting their reactions of what THEY hear as pleasing or not. Even my own taste tends to change from year to year. Beyond "getting started in the right direction", you just have to experiment and let your personal taste be the judge. If the music does not move you emotionally, keep experimenting until it does!
I have helped other fellow audiophiles put together systems, assisting them with their quest, and one thing I have learned is that what may sound great to one person, can often sound rather un-pleasing to others. We all have personal preferences as to what we find as either "pleasant sounding" or "correct". Also, people tend to enjoy different types of music as well, and the presentation of that music will also vary. If someone prefers hard rock, and does not have an interest in, say violin or female voice, then one would tend to build a system around that preference. I always try to get a feel for an individuals' musical taste and listening preference before making any suggestions. I would prefer to have them hear a few different systems first, and getting their reactions of what THEY hear as pleasing or not. Even my own taste tends to change from year to year. Beyond "getting started in the right direction", you just have to experiment and let your personal taste be the judge. If the music does not move you emotionally, keep experimenting until it does!