Quote Originally Posted by RGA
Well it will help because you know where the goal post is. You then try and get as close to that as you can with your budget.
IMO, the goal post should be one of the following:

1) To sound like live, un-amplified music

OR

2) To sound like what the engineer heard in the recording studio

OR

3) To sound the best to me, regardless of whether that is accurate or neon coloured.

Why would I want the goal for my system to be 'sounding like another system'?

That goal sounds like what the Chinese knock brands attempt to do: create a product aimed at sounding like a classic audio component for much less money...