Neutral electronics are a farce...

I guess you can compare the difference between a photo taken with a 3 MP camera, a 5 MP camera etc.

What if you take a picture now with a 100 mega pixel camera?
They are all stable and focused but now you can see detail that only could have be seen in person.

My auto-focus uses quantum physics and is accurate to parts per trillion.
Semiconductor manufacturers do not make a device that can do this.
That's why I had to make my own devices.

Roger

The analogy does not hold up.

Do you have a method of measuring the effect you describe?

No doubt you can only reproduce what’s in the recording most all of which are flawed in some way, even the good live recordings which are the only ones relevant for comparing a live event to what you hear off a recording.

I find once your system is performing well, the recording is essentially always the biggest bottleneck by far in regards to sound quality or "like live".

You can’t reproduce what’s not there to start with.

In a lab experiment like Atmasphere’s with ultimate care in recording and playback, only then is one in a position to be talking about anything approaching zero distortion or perfection.

With the best live recordings I know of like teh best from Mercury Living Presence, Dorian or Mapleshade most good systems should sound like being there. Even my somewhat modest rigs do. I’m sure if I was at teh live performance recorded, with same perspective as the mikes, which alone is not likely, I might notice some differences. But why should that matter? They are ALL recordings.  Flawed and/or limited representations of real life.   Some might be like a high res photo and some like abstract Picassos,  some even just a total disaster like DT might say.  What matters is the illusion of a live recording. That happens with most any decent recording in a good setup, even if produced in a studio.

I'd say the neutral and balanced-labelled equipment has become a tool for sales guys to pitch us some low-end stuff. Maybe not.

I can honestly say I can't distinguish a neutral or balanced sounding mix unless i listen to what an unbalanced mix is. 

Well, I can say that my rule of thumb for getting the right kind of equipment would be to trust my ears and what details it would love to hear.

nootral? i know how to hear natural: I can record my guitar, accordion or beat box and if it sounds same in the same room via speakers than it's natural or maybe nootral.