Most pleasing sound vs most hifi sound

I think you may be on the edge of realizing that the mental attitude you bring to a listening session can easily outweigh the quality of the system. You are the most important, and most variable, component in any system.

Could not having high expectations or any desire to improve your car system be why it is more enjoyable. Perhaps home listening is always critical, always looking to improve or change something. I found music is much more enjoyable when I decided just to listen to the music and not question what could be better.

You are the most important, and most variable, component in any system

...huh ...what about speaker cables and interconnects - aren't these the biggest variables in ultra high-end? What cables/interconnects is Chris using in the car? ;-) just kidding.

Shadorne: I use the Transparent Opus for car audio.

Chris

Rodman, I hear ya! There's another group that fit right in with your louder/longer/shorter group, and that's the ones in the trucks that think they have a tough vehicle because it makes alot of noise. They floor it and think it's really movin', but it's just another few tons of slow moving loud, obnoxious, noise. As far as feeling sorry for them, I just feel they're a sorry lot.
My wife and I moved from Wisconsin to Michigan to get away from that noisy area. We built a nice place out in the country, and wouldn't you know it, some of the same crap moved in a couple miles down the road. At least it's not constant. And the most ironic part, is that the fella who had the loudest bike back there in Wisconsin was the guy who bought our house!