I've gone through a very similar journey. I also got started about 50 years ago and have finally settled on a system (see my signature) that I consider to be musical and emotionally engaging, and not necessarily one that is the most analytical or detailed. My system has Audio Research Reference electronics of relatively recent vintage. I used to own Sonus Faber but now have the marvelous Focal Sopra No. 3's. Like the Audio Research electronics, the Focals are not the most analytical or detailed speaker but they are so musical. They just draw you into the music experience.
My reference point is also live concerts. Until COVID hit, I regularly attended symphonic concerts around the greater Boston area. Sometimes I would get front row seats. That striking thing about these live concerts is that I simply don't hear the exquisite detail, the ultra-precise imaging, the huge front-to-back depth, or the prominent high frequency emphasis that is so common in many "high end" systems. The things about live music that stand out are the midrange presence, the physical scale of the music, and the effortless power of a symphony. I've structured my system to try to recreate that experience and, in particular, to emphasize realistic midrange reproduction.
I don't know if I'm done yet in this journey, but these days I'm much more into listening to the music than trading equipment.
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