" But I hold it the closest to what I think it should sound like at the moment. Maybe the truth is somewhere in between(?)"

I guess that's what hi-fi's all about - if you find a sound you love, stick with it and enjoy. Having heard the affect of different recording mikes, cables, A/D converters and mastering there's really no "truth" as such, all variations on a theme of truth.

"there was a slight sibilance" Having heard the Jason/Medea combo its about as honest (and ruthless) as it gets - superb kit but shows up any errors in the recording. If M's presentation makes that recording enjoyable again then it's hard to argue that's wrong...

What a wonderful yet bonkers hobby!!