Laid Back Speakers amps, players etc

I also use that term to describe a sound with less tendency to "bloom" along with the dynamic transients. It certainly doesn't mean reduced dynamics, just more stability.

The antonyms could be "forward" or "aggresive". A "laid back" soundstage would extend behind the line of the speakers. A "forward" soundstage places some imaging in front of the line of the speakers. "Aggressive" can be like jumping out at you and slapping you in the forehead.

The most "laid back" amp I've found so far is the Plinius SA100, which is very capable but doesn't try to impress. The tube amps I've tried tend be a bit more forward. The most aggressive amp I've had was the mosfet-based Mission 777, from the early 80's, which was a lot of fun in a masochistic kind of way. Never left any bruises though.

Often, just adjusting the toe-in of the speakers will have a dramatic effect on the perception of depth of the soundstage and imaging.

Indeed, to your first point, generally, hi fi shops tend not to feature "laid-back" sounding equipment (at least not in my experience), nor, in fact, is that much of it made (if what you're talking about is really about an easy going mid-hall kind of sound). Most shops feel compelled to show equipment with a lot of "wow" factor--lots of detail, very "in the same room as the cymbals" kind of sound.

The "wow" factor is kind of fun, but you get it at a cost. The "wow" equipment that I've had has tended to become fatiguing with lots of hours of use with lots of kinds of music and recording styles. In one of the earlier incarnations of my system, about 1 in 4 CDs sounded fabulous, 1 sounded pretty good, and 2 of 4 were distinctly unpleasant. I concluded that was not how I wanted to live my musical life, and went on a long quest to find more of a mid-hall sound (or what I think of as a more "forgiving" sound). I'm sure some would say that I lost some accuracy. I certainly lost of bit of detail...but my ears told me, after a while, that what I lost wasn't what real music sounds like (generally) anyway. Instead of being focused on the treble (where a lot of the "wow" factor is), my system is now more about mid-range and to some extent bass.

And, with all due respect, it's not just speakers, by any means. It's in the whole ball of wax. I now use Harbeth speakers, Cardas Cross cable, a BAT pre-amp with NOS tubes, several different CD players, and I've gone back to analog as well, which tends to sound more "laid back" than CDs, to me. All of these items, compared to other items I tried, made a notable difference in going the direction I wanted to go. And, I can make a simple amp change, and go from laid back, mid-hall to "you are there" sound...I just switch out whichever of my tube amps I'm using and plug in my transister BEL amp. I can get some of the same effect by switching CD players (Wadia modified by GNSC, EAR Acute, EMM CDSA) as well. And do so, on purpose, depending on what I'm playing and how I want to hear it.

In the end, it's all a preference issue, seems to me...except it's kind of hard to get the more laid back, forgiving sound, because you really have to look for it and, as you did, ask a lot of questions. Sometimes I think some of it might be a function of age. I'm 52. I went to music school and played in a fusion band...all testosterone and adrenalin. "Wow" factor was everything. Now, I guess I'm like Shadorne describes--if not a few stages beyond--you young guys can have your "wow" factor...I want my music like a warm bath.

Now, I guess I'm like Shadorne describes--if not a few stages beyond--you young guys can have your "wow" factor...I want my music like a warm bath

Exactly. And nothing wrong with that. It is a preference that is totally valid.

From what you say I understand that the ultra hi-end equipment should not be laid back....

No. High end should be whatever the customer wants and some want accuracy and detail (and the fatigue that inherently may come with that) whilst others want a beautiful warm sound.

Sonicflare explains it.

We are all wired differently and we probably change over our lifetime too.

If you understand this then you can do better with selecting your own system - basically no system can be all things - if you have a nice warm system with a small ported monitor - then don't expect a realistic rendition of Mahler with 110 db SPL peaks. Instead learn to enjoy the great ambience and sound of acoustic music, small jazz ensembles and vocalists (where your system may absolutely excel in a way that a Mahler optimised system may not).

'Laid Back' to me refers to a lack of artificial brightness, a lack of added odd-ordered harmonics, IOW the system has no loudness artifacts and will play in an effortless and authoritative way without generating the desire to turn it down. Laid back is where your SO asks you to play more tunes rather than to turn it off.

Laid back is essential if you actually listen to your system and expect it to do what it should do for the thousands of dollars that you have invested: draw you in to the music.