Charles, All,
Yes, current High End audio sensibilities went off the tracks a long time ago, especially for folks who are "Timbral Listeners"; and I firmly believe this is the way the vast majority of folks hear music. This notion of "neutrality and accuracy" as you mentioned above is a misnomer. Seriously, what is this notion of "neutrality?" Whatever it is the High End hasn't captured it yet; and can't capture it. A neutral sound doesn't exist. A violin exists. A violin isn't neutral. It sounds like a violin. What we can capture is a "Representation" of a violin that sounds like a violin. That representation requires all of the qualities in "Timbral Listening." Not some ridiculous, implausible notion of neutrality to mean not too much Yin or Yang? As in the story of the Thee Bears it's Just Right! No, to hear the violin, or any instrument "just right" requires all the attributes of timbral Listening as defined in Jeff Day, Yazaki-san, "Listening Bias." The current Audiophile terminology and value system is misguided. Ask yourself, spending more enjoying it less? What am I missing? Likely the emotion and intent of musicians is not coming through to you. To me, in all my reading of reviews "neutral" really was a code word for: cool, thin sounding, uber transparent, detailed, extended, usually lacking emotion or warmth, or other Timbral listening attributes of "real music." The High End concept of "accuracy" is another misnomer. Playback of recorded material is never accurate. Again, the best that the recording and playback industries can possibly do is give you, the listener, a fair "representation" of the recorded material; and they often do a bad job somewhere along the chain (weakest link anyone). A violin is a violin is a violin. Accurate is live, you are there. No recording artifacts. There is no glare, there is no too bright, it doesn't lack presence, it is always musical, it has emotion, you can feel the intent of the musicians, it is always in scale, the timbre is accurate, the tone is accurate, the harmonic overtone is accurate. Music without the full qualities of "Timbral Listening" is the opposite of accurate. Best, Rob
