"When you play music, what is it that you want your system to produce? "
Better musicality then the night before.
I believe the power company has a lot to do with it, that is why I much prefer to listen late at night. I can't get as loud as the little women lets me know when to turn it down
but I wish all would go to bed earlier , lets say 8 oclock so my power is cleaner.
For a few years, soundstage and imaging was high on my list. Nowadays I'm content with clarity, but prefer a tinge of warmth, and since changing out some caps in my amp I now know what grainless sounds like. Can never go back.
Biggest surprise one day was at our friends place and their daughter who I always made play the piano for me when I was over as she was growing up ( thats just what I make the kids do when uncle Bill comes over), now she has graduated and has her masters in teaching, at her graduation party of course for old times sake asked if she would indulge me with playing a piece on her baby grand, to my surprise it really had a metallic sound, moreso then I had ever heard before. All 3 of my sisters play the piano beautifully also and we always had an upright at home and its not like I never listened but even today the resonance of decay captured in the body of the piano is elusive in playback.
There is just something about a real instrument that as much as we would like to recreate, in reality though can never be achieved. We try like all heck and once we accept the fact it is so much easier to listen and remove the critical listening mode and just try to satisfy our own musical preferences as to what we think it should sound like.
If your a believer that it is all about the music, then may I suggest maybe attending your local church and asking if it is possible to maybe sit in on the practice sessions of the musicians who practice the day before the service. Maybe sit with the soundman at the mixing board and soak up some of his knowledge, volunteer for a month's services. One of the biggest blessings in my life was watching the musicians create what they do for Sunday service and hear the musicians working it out before hand so there was a smooth day of praise for all the congregation.
OOH, sorry about that, got a little off track