What is this term 'analytical' ?


I see this routinely in reviews & comments and so do you:

It’s too analytical. It’s so analytical that it’s not musical. Etc.

What does this mean? You can actually hear stuff? You picture math problems on a chalkboard? A shrink’s couch?

Isn’t the entire point of this hobby to hear music clearly? But apparently: not too clearly?

128x128zufan

Showing 3 responses by tomcy6

Agree with audioguy85. You’ll know it when you hear it. The sound is lifeless, sterile, not engaging, boring.  It's different from bright, to my ear anyway.

Let me add, all the notes and details are there, they just don't connect with you emotionally.

What does sterile sound like? What does character sound like? What does connecting emotionally sound like?

About all I can add is that it is the opposite of musical. Have you ever heard a system that you would describe as more musical than most? You just get caught up in the music and it makes you want to keep listening? Then go across the spectrum, past the ordinary amount of musicality, way over to where the music is just sound, not music. It just doesn’t engage you. That’s analytical.

Surely you understand connecting emotionally.  Compare your response to your favorite music with your response to music that you just don't care for.  The former is connecting emotionally with you.

Some have pointed out that going for detail can lead you to an analytical system. There’s a similar pitfall on the musical side. When going for as musical a system as possible, you can end up with an overly lush, overly romantic, slow and thick sounding system.