Sounds like a very nice system to me Beowulf. I think the thing is balance. If something sticks out, it can be something good that is unfamiliar, and needs getting used to....or it can be something that is maybe good and perhaps a little dominant.... Might need to balance the whole with something else... like warmth, fine detail, bass body or resolution... or whatever.
If I find the analytical ahead of the pleasure, I trust that some perceptions are pointing me somewhere. I may not know the answer, or how to explain the problem, but by following my preferences as I experiment, I always seem to figure it out and get the enjoyment and amazement back to the top...most often, ending up having taken it to a higher level from solving some challenge.
Putting my PureMusic player in a RAMdisk made my setup "too good." Too clear and dynamic based upon how it was set up. Liking the good parts of this change, I started working to "find" the new sound. First I played with isolation, damping and feet...Then a little IC change...Then put in some warmer power tubes (the Valve Art 350Bs had one go bad, so switched to the richer Genalex KT66)...Then a warmer, copper receptacle power strip for computer, DAC, USB power, Shunyata Defender, and some other little things, over a very clean tweaked out Brickwall (this was the big one). And finally some EQ adjustments.
Wow...things are very beautiful tonight. The decreased noise and subtle distortions from the computer, and associated increases in black, clarity, and dynamics...they all seem to be a part of the amazement and beauty now. Gorgeous music!
Won't know for sure until I play a lot more recordings, and may need some fine tuning, but wow! With any luck, the "too good" has turned to better than ever. Listening to the last record, all I could hear was great music. So, for me anyway, I think the analytical is usually awakened by something being a little out of balance.
Course...when you have hundreds of recordings of various recording qualities and characters...and maybe a new cable or piece of gear here or there....seeking the balance can be sort of perpetual! I love it!