Do you trust your system?

Some gear is reformed some is refurbished. :-) But a recording can be a crap shoot sometime.

Janis Joplin has always been a favorite, but finding a great recording including some 15ips RtR 2nd masters, sucked. It was better than what I had but it was just rougher than a cob.. They didn't dub anything they just recorded it. Good, bad, or wasted, it got recorded.. One recording I heard 5 zippo lighters slam shut through the recording.. 

I call it "John Wayne" recording. "We whipped out another one,...... Pilgrim!"

I usually avoid listening to a "Live" Stream if there is a studio option.

In general the studios are better recordings.

Lately I have been experimenting with several speakers

in search of a new primary speaker. 

I am learning that the actual speaker makes less difference in the overall

listening pleasure than I had thought. 

Now that sounds contrary to commonly accepted thought and just wrong for a lot of reasons so let me provide some of the reasoning.

As I sit here listening to a pair of Time DC TF600 speakers

that are sold for $200-$300 all day long. 

If I blind tested these many would love the sound. Me too.

The associated gear, setup and room play as big a part 

in sound pleasure as the actual speakers.

Anyone want to hear the demo, I live in Phoenix

AZ and will accommodate all takers.

I trust my system as far as it can throw a convincing soundstage.

@steakster my friend read about recordings in the early days of CDs and right before.

You will cry.

OP:  I worry about our critical listening a great deal.  If you are recording or making or reviewing gear then critical listwning males sense, but for the audiophile critical listening should be introspective and learning about who we are as music consumers.