Fidelity vs. Musicality...........Is there a tug of War?

Musicality. Anything else is a complete waste of time. 

Cheers.

Musicality to me is when my system draws me  unconsciously into the music rather than me trying to decipher all the little parts of the sound I am striving for.  That is the best feeling when you realize you have been totally engulfed into the music for the last hour without ever thinking about what the system sounds like. Musical nirvana, makes it all worth it.

Another vote for musicality. I've learned to be very careful seeking better detail and accuracy. For me, anyway, it doesn't always lead to a more engaging listening experience.

The guys who mix and master good recordings are a little like chefs - it isn't about making every ingredient obvious, it is more about the blend that makes something musical - in my opinion. 

I think it is impossible for anyone to know if their system is reproducing a recording exactly as the recording engineers, mixers and mastering labs intended. There can be just as much "art" in that part of the recording process as the performance. As a matter of fact, I have watched very talented engineers mix a track and it IS a performance.

I forgot to add something to my earlier post. Since my goal for my system is musicality, I see no need to focus on measurements or double blind testing of equipment. I get joy from experiencing the music. I wouldn't get any joy from gathering data to let me know if my system is accurate. That is a complete waste of time for me.

Cheers.

The terms are properly seen as synonyms, not antonyms.

Agree with Douglas and Frogman. Fidelity is musicality.