ghosthouse, your comment "there's a lot of discussing and obsessing about the best hardware for audio when the critical variable that can make a mega $ system sound like trash or a mid-fi system sound great is the recording itself!" should be posted on audio sites, not this music site.
Proof in point, a few days ago I wanted to test an old NAD 3020 I recently had repaired for a channel drop out. The NAD is connected to a pair of nearly as old Signet speakers I used to enhance the audio with my TV. I mention that only to identify the system as both old and inexpensive. The disc I played was "Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington, The Great Summit". I was doing other things, only listening for background to see if an extended time would verify the repair was successful. But then I realized how great it sounded and had to stop and sit to listen directly, captivated by the music. The components were considered respectable in their day but certainly not great. And yet I was drawn in to appreciation by the playback!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEUKM-n3dq8
Proof in point, a few days ago I wanted to test an old NAD 3020 I recently had repaired for a channel drop out. The NAD is connected to a pair of nearly as old Signet speakers I used to enhance the audio with my TV. I mention that only to identify the system as both old and inexpensive. The disc I played was "Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington, The Great Summit". I was doing other things, only listening for background to see if an extended time would verify the repair was successful. But then I realized how great it sounded and had to stop and sit to listen directly, captivated by the music. The components were considered respectable in their day but certainly not great. And yet I was drawn in to appreciation by the playback!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEUKM-n3dq8