I like to minimize sound coloration from equipment but it is really difficult to achieve that, especially when you have a budget as we are always making compromises. Additionally, the room you are impacts the sound dramatically. It feels like the melding of equipment with different properties leads to an optimized sound. I feel like certain manufacturers like Ayre, PSB, Acoustic Zen, or Clearaudio have no real "house sound" or maybe it is the absence of a distinct sound that defines their "house sound." I tend to be biased in favor of brands like those but
I don't have the budget to buy that equipment exclusively and I am not certain it would be all that neutral once you get it in a specific room.

I buy the best unit I can get for the money that I think will integrate neatly into my system. From there, I tweak placement and tubes to try and optimize my sound. I think I have a great sounding system but without the time spent refining placement, etc... It sounded flat and unexciting.

I have two systems. A digital system with a receiver,Marantz CDP, and Polk floorstanding speakers and an analog system with a project TT,ELAC B6 stand mounted speakers, and a Marantz reference integrated amp.
The analog system sounds better to me.There's something about the sound of a good LP that just doesn't come across,somehow,with CD. Not sure if it's better or just different,but the sound of the analog system has an immediacy to it
like actual musical instruments are in the room.
I put the analog system away in a closet a couple months ago to paint my living room and haven't gotten it back out since.
As much as I love it the convenience and versatility of the digital system trumps the sq of the analog one.

as far as the OP, not sure what provenance can mean when music recorded today is processed,compressed,equalized,yada yada,what you're getting from you're source material may sound quite different from what you would have heard had you been present in the studio when the music was recorded.