Regarding little differences: Sometimes(!) hits on the crash cymbals sound "wrong". Since compression is pretty good, most of the time it sounds fine though. Pl

Regarding little differences: Sometimes(!) hits on the crash cymbals sound "wrong". Since compression is pretty good, most of the time it sounds fine though. Plus, in other instances that's just how it was recorded/sampled. So it's not a good indicator for your test (and I wouldn't dare claim what your audiophile friends claimed). But in a few cases a "wrong" sound cymbal can actually caused by compression. But I sit down to listen to music as a hobby (and used to play drums, so I listen closely to them). And while I don't have audiophile-grade snake oil, I have both decent headphones and speakers; including the electronics.