Is "detailed" audiophile code for too much treble?

Detail is how well you can pick out individual voices and instruments and how much of their timbre you can appreciate. Percussion cannot be used to determine detail as it is hyper-detailed and leads to a false sense of detail. The best test is a symphony orchestra. 

IMHE many people prefer systems that are on the bright side. This gives a false sense of detail. It also increases sibilance and makes cymbals sound tinny. 

How a system is performing requires either measurement or comparison with a known flat source such as headphones.  I prefer measurement. IMHO every audiophile should have a USB measurement microphone. 

If you want to hear a wonderfully detailed system look for ESLs driven by a powerful class A amplifier. 

Bright can mean several different things. Clean, clear, stunning. It can also mean cold, lifeless, harsh.

ffed,” or “smeared” is what you hear when you go into the venue’s bathroom
 

That’s because the higher frequencies have been lost and only the lower remain. 

Bottom line is higher frequencies are an essential part of detail. They can also be a key source of noise and distortion which lead to fatigue.   It all is needed and all needs to be done well ie have a handle on noise and distortion.  After that it’s largely a matter of tuning to personal preference. 

It only means what people think the word describes. There are some who seem to equate lots of detail and transparency with a bright sound. But many don’t. There’s no definitive answer.

Some people say a highly detailed system is a little bright. Think of the opposite, a warm or lush sound. Wouldn’t that at least imply a loss of detail? So it’s just words that people assign to their own understanding of sounds. Some words have almost universal agreement, some don’t.