This prerogative has been largely forgotten in recent decades. Gone were the days of lively renditions on the parlor piano. Computers can take the expertise out of amateur music making. Some audio equipment geared for the consumer inadvertently offers interactive possibilities. But manufacturers have discouraged compatability between their amateur and pro equipment.
Passivity is still the dominant demographic.
Thus the atrophied microphone inputs which have now all but disappeared from premium stereo cassette decks. As a listener my own preference is the option to experiment. My listening system has a mixer instead of a receiver, an infinitely variable speed turntable, filters, reverse capability, and a pair of ears. An active listener might speed up a piece of music in order to perceive more clearly its macrostructure, or slow it down to hear articulation and detail more precisely. The steel drum eventually became a national asset.