Is live reproduction the goal of audio?

This will never be possible (thank God!). High End is to produce the most intriguing experience with reproduced music. High End and Live are two completely different stories - yet High End is the best way to listen to music outside the concert hall or venue.

There is no "getting it" to be gotten. It's all relative.

In my opinion "no" I look at my systems as a musical instrument and I try to optimize its playback capbilities with that in mind.

Chuck

I suppose I'd answer yes to the question, assuming the recording in the question was live.

Having said that, I have been closer to the live event in my system in the past than I am now, but I am enjoying my system now more than ever. In fact, I don't listen as much to "the system" as I do to the music. I am certain my system is less accurate than it was three years ago, but it's sure more musical.

It is the only goal that can effectively market the product. How else would you sell a pair of speakers, or an amp? "Hi, we're XYZ audio, and we eschew accuracy, achieving instead the sound we know you will prefer." Bye-bye XYZ audio!

I think that as we put together a system that pleases us, our personal goal emerges en route.