Very much so!
Knowing what real instruments sound like in a live music environment is both unusual and incredibly helpful when appraising hi-fi equipment and systems. Unlike many, I know what real drums, guitars, basses, keyboards and other instruments do sound like, and should sound like. I still have my drum kit.
On the flip side, being a musician and having played the drums and attended so many live music events, my ears have suffered over the years and I am paying the price for it now, despite having used hearing protection for decades. Strangely and despite having damaged my hearing, I’m somehow still able to make very subtle observations about sound and sonic differences between hi-fi gear. Go figure. There will be a scientific explanation for this, but I don’t know what it is.
