‘psychranger’ “…get equipment that you know does a great job producing clarity, detail, and completeness, then just pick out the flavor that pleases you the most…” and
‘lowtubes’ “…in tweaking my systems is a very transparent sound, with great detail and resolution but with fullness of tone and musicality. So my setups are super open and super expanded with great detail, height, depth, and resolution but above all, the systems have been tweaked to reveal tonality and musical fullness.” (That really says it all for me.)
As for me, I also feel unamplified acoustical instruments, bluegrass, orchestra, etc, are the best references for judging timbre. A music system’s ability to resolve highly complex passages with clarity and accuracy is desired too, along with other traits of good reproduction. I too have yielded in extreme dynamics/volume for better tonality and realism.
I want a system accurate and musical. If ‘absolute sound’ is so analytical that my ears hurt I do not want it. Music should not hurt (but I’ve had dumb system combos that did). I can, and do listen for hours at a time and now there is never fatigue. The more accurate, resolving and involving, the better it is. And I love hearing the near ‘absolute sound’ that state-of-the-art high end gear can provide.
Back in 2011 my new speaker purchasing mantra (in addition to accuracy, resolution, full-range, etc.) was “Only buy a speaker you want to turn up.” If not, or down, then walk away. The Dyn Sapphires I had for five years sure did the trick. I don’t listen that loudly now, and have better speakers, but the thought remains the same.