Good Topic!
I didn't go to the links. From other posts, the links are crap.
First thing from prior posts.. I NEVER go to any live concerts. I despise most other Humans, and so I would really just be totally uncomfortable with the idiots who go to any Rock concert. Even the old fogies who go to the old fogies stuff like ANY of the 1970s bands still creaking up on a stage.. I am not well off enough to afford Classical concerts.. Mainly the clothing required. LOL
Jazz...no excuse other than #1.
Whew, writing that felt good.
As far as a system? ANYTHING that plays music is perfectly fine to practice listening.
This includes:
You 1966 transistor radio.
Your bedside clock radio
The cheap receiver you found at Purple Heart for $20, and the old speakers with the broken surrounds you DUCT TAPED.. This was for my friend...both parts, includes a $8 CD player!)
Why do I say this? Because the "LOVE OF MUSIC" is paramount. SO my criteria INCLUDES being able to listen to music on ANYTHING, and being happy with it.
So all those who ears bleed without a steaming pile $50,000 of crap plugged in... Sorry... REJECT..
Secondly is being able to PAY ATTENTION.
This is something that is good anywhere, anytime. For any purpose.
So if you mind is like a damn circus... Sorry, you too are a reject.
Go find out how to calm your feverish brain FIRST. Some folks use alcohol for this...
KNOW the music. Folks who only like Rock this is harder. There IS only one performance ,though live takes and the current craze for behind the scenes takes helps.
In Classical there are warhorses. folks know them inside out upside down in ten.. maybe twenty different recordings. This allows the listener to really dig deep into a performance. And I would rate long time Classical music listeners as automatically wonderful listeners..
Jazz it depends.. Kind of partway between the Rock And Classcial listener.
If you have listened to Classical a lot even is you prefer Rock, you may already also have a pass..
HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN GOOSEBUMPS? requirement. If you have NEVER gotten goosebumps from listening to music.. Forget it. you cannot do the task.
All the rest is just going ahead and listening.
And experience. Having listened to plenty of music for many years...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
How WOULD I teach others to listen to high end audio?
Well. still the mind... Grasshopper.
If you cannot have a calm, still mind, open to the environment. It is impossible to actually LISTEN to music.
So a calm mind, open to the environment is number one.
I think one of the things which separates music lovers from folks for whom music will always be a background noise is listeners listen. Everyone else is to busy to bother to really listen, and do only that.
If one can DO the still open mind. Everything else is just experience.