OK, I'm reading posting after posting, web page after web page,
regarding what's the best equipment for music, what's best for home
theater, what's best for surround. Everyone has a different opinion or
a favorite brand -- most recommend going to a hifi dealer and trying
out different speakers and amps.

All I want is to hear music as if the musicians were standing in front
of me playing their instruments. I want a recording of a symphony
orchestra to sound like I'm seated in the theater. I want a recording
of a jazz combo to sound like I'm seated in the front row of the
nightclub. I want a Norah Jones CD to sound like she's sitting across
the room and singing to me. I want a recording of me playing the
trombone to sound like me playing the trombone. I want live music to
sound like live music. I know that a lot depends on the recording
technique, but let's set that aside for now and assume as perfect a
recording as possible.

So... is this a lot to ask? Isn't it really the *only* thing to ask?
Is sound reproduction that subjective that no one can agree on a
particular system that will do this? Or maybe, are we talking about a
$100,000 system here to be able to be that accurate?

All I want to know is, with my measly $500-$750 (or less?), isn't there
a specific receiver/speaker combination that will produce what I want
to hear? Or am I just searching in vain at this price point? Maybe
I'm just too idealistic and the ability to reproduce live music is too
expensive to consider.

Thanks,
Bryan