How much is about the recording

Well, it would take a book to tell the whole story but there are many ways to get where you want to go. The way I do it is find the right loudspeaker, the right amp for that speaker, the right tubes for the amp, the right preamp and tubes, the right source, the right speaker placement, the right room acoustics, and finally the right cables. (Lots of experience to do that, which means lots of wrong choices)

^Thanks.^

I started that’s way and recently went back through the front end... maybe the equipment was already good enough as the changes were subtle…and everything seems to sound pretty good, unless the recording is overly shrill to begin with.

or it is to the point now that the recording quality is the biggest variable.

I am probably a bit lucky.

Are these systems super bright? Or what does resolving mean here?

Yes, they tend to be towards the brighter side, but you can have full high frequency extension without being too bright. Resolving is detail retrieval, that happens across the whole frequency spectrum, but you can take it too far. Harder to explain but I have steered away from a lot of super hi-end products that take detail retrieval too far. I want to hear the music sheets shuffling but I don't want it to dominate the recording.  

It all starts with the recording, and the quality of the recording. I listen to a wide range of music.  I like the Mozart Piano Concertos on Archiv LP's and discs (although the LP's are better).  I also liked Adele 21, but I don't think a good recording of that release exists.  So, while I like the songs, I hardly ever listen to the album because it sounds so crappy.  Then, there's recordings (LP's and CD's) that are recorded too hot, and they sound harsh.  Or, they are recorded too cold and sound dead.

But, when you find a great recording of music that you love, and you have a good system-- well, that's as good as it gets.

I've posted this before, but I asked the question: Can you hear the noise suppression pump in and out on Diana Krall's "Garden in the Rain"? I got few responses, which meant most people don't hear that. It's easily heard on my reference systems but not to the point of ruining the song...darn close though. That's how I know I'm there (at least one of my tools).

Aside from the obvious good attitude of enjoying the music, i agree that the recording itself is the single biggest contributor to quality.  Want proof? Listen to a mid-60s Verve or Mercury recording transferred to regular, old 16/44 CD. On a really good system they are glorious.  Vastly better than most 24/192/blah blah

Justme