would you dumb down a monster to tame it so you can enjoy it or do you keep pushing it for power to the point you won't enjoy it?
It is so very subjective, both between shooters and within a shooter. After shooting a PCP, ANY springer feels harsh and abrupt and jumpy in comparison, even to a sworn springer guy like me. A New Normal is always lurking behind the corner, such is the bane of the modern age.
For a guy fully adapted to highly-tuned, low- to moderate power springers, a magnum springer will likely always feel unenjoyable to shoot. But to a magnum springer guy, the parameters are completely different. That guy goes whistling into the woods with a heavy-recoil, high-mass, high fpe gun that may well be in factory trim (gasp). It's his Normal, and works exactly as expected, taking bigger small game at long ranges, time and time again.
FWIW, among my present projects is a 1987 HW80 that I'm testing out for power with various setups. One can always look for inspiration at the Venom Arms LazaGlide HW80's that shot 23 - 25 fpe @ .22 cal, with excellent accuracy out to 65 yards, while feeling like a 10 fpe gun, with no recoil or vibration.
Realistically, with the tools, skills and parts that I have, I'd be happy to end up with the 20 fpe.