Artifacts In The Recording

[agent_kith]

It can be unsettling when increased resolution reveals problems hiding in the layers of a dense recording, but if it's on the recording, I want to hear it!

Unsettling yes. Also a sense of pride when other systems cannot reproduce it .

In all seriousness though these artifacts allow one to audition their gear properly. If you ever want to buy new equipment, play a suite of these tracks and observe how they change. e.g. the Ray Charles track - it can sound like:

1. sneezing,
   
2. coughing,
   
3. Furniture noises?
   
4. Nothing at all
   

The worse the mastering, the more likelihood it will be point #4. And it's good skill a audiophile should have too, IMO it's a more objective way of assessment and much better than trying to ascertain things like bass/mid-range/bass (very subjective).