My system was down for six weeks, and I felt the absence of music in my home. Even though I used my computer 'system' during that time, it could not fill the void. Which makes me wonder about your two-fold question--if music was all that mattered, then my quick fix system would have done the trick. But because it did not, I can safely assume that yes, I am enthralled by my my "high-end" system's capabilities to recreate music.
I have listened to music my whole life, and I have gone through phases where all I was listening to was my stereo. I feel this is normal for a lot of us. And it makes sense, too, when you shell out the kind of bucks for components. I also believe that this kind of analytical listening can be overdone to the point where one is not listening to music anymore. I find this line can be very thin.
When I am listening to music, (and that does not mean to me that I am not enjoying how well my system performs) I find the rewards almost beyond words. A fellow audiogon member told me the following, which sums it up best for me. He said that he enjoys eating french fries too much, and feels that with every indulgence he takes a few months off his life. He hasn't quit eating fries because "when I'm sitting in the dark, and the mood is just right, and I'm listening to music, that's when I add months on to my life."
I have listened to music my whole life, and I have gone through phases where all I was listening to was my stereo. I feel this is normal for a lot of us. And it makes sense, too, when you shell out the kind of bucks for components. I also believe that this kind of analytical listening can be overdone to the point where one is not listening to music anymore. I find this line can be very thin.
When I am listening to music, (and that does not mean to me that I am not enjoying how well my system performs) I find the rewards almost beyond words. A fellow audiogon member told me the following, which sums it up best for me. He said that he enjoys eating french fries too much, and feels that with every indulgence he takes a few months off his life. He hasn't quit eating fries because "when I'm sitting in the dark, and the mood is just right, and I'm listening to music, that's when I add months on to my life."