When did you ever hear a system sound so life-like

I heard that sound from B&W 801 speakers with Levinson 20.5 pure class A monos. It was a big sound and it moved air like real instruments do, but it was a very large room and large rooms give big sound if you have the right system and enough power.

Interesting question. In the last 15 years I only heard 3 Systems which reproduced the real thing, the being in the performance.
The secret behind? Honestly, I think all of them had a very hugh knowledge in Records/Performance/real sound/record collecting...they really knew the recordings.
The first was at my beginning with High End and it confused me very much because it sounded so different to all the review winners and I started to learn that there are differences.
That first System had an "old" turntable from France, a Platine Verdier (not the actual one), SME 3012 with Quad speakers and FM Electronics...

The 2. System produced the Magic with active Horns and a more or less DIY Turntable which was very limited in official production (12 units). Air bearing, platter with 100pds, weight about 400 pds and active suspension down to 2hz. That was the only time where it was (is) possible for me to count the rows from the musicians during the performance (LSC2500). Arm was a Fr-64s with a different alignment (nullpoints).

The last System was the very best. In a way it was very frustrating. It does everything what all write about their units, but they never do in reality. Depth, space, Dynamic grip to die for die and a very remarkable power in the tone.
That System is more or less DIY from a record collector who has a very impressive technical knowledge. The Turntable was from Micro Seiki, but very seriously modified, Arm is FR-66s.
In these 15 years I did listen to maybe 100 Systems (owners or Dealers), there is (or was) everything from today.
The secret of all the 3 Systems?
I think, trying to understand what you hear and thinking about that which components (or Designers) can do it.

I've heard systems come close, but never hit the mark. It is almost completely dependent on the recording, so much so that the system may be less important than we think.

Found a pic from one of these Turntables
(System 2)

About 25 years back.At a dealer I heard Pacific Overtures being played on a Well Tempered turntable and tonearm with an original Benz cartridge.The electronics were all ARC and the speakers were the original B&W 801.
This was the closest to live that I have ever heard.
I've heard other Lps played in this same room with this same system and never felt the sound approached live.
So was it the recording....