What makes an amp sound more direct ?


In our hifi journey we have probably all heard amps with different topologies and implementation. Most of these amps would have an implementation which is a combination of one of these:

1. Single Ended
2. Push-pull
3. Balanced
4. Differentially Balanced
5. Class A, A/B, D
6. High/Low Damping factor
7. Zero Negative Feedback (global & local)
8. Low/Medium/High Negative feedback
9. 2/3/4/multiple gain stages

There will be more such items that can be added to the list. My curiosity arises from the fact that some amplifiers (or even preamplifiers) sound much more direct than others. The ones that does this trick generally seems to do the "they are here" trick very well. While the components which sound relatively indirect cast a sound scape which gives the perspective of "we are there".

Just from my observation, single ended and zero feedback designs sound much more direct than balanced designs especially ones with high negative feedback. Is this a coincidence or is there a valid reason behind this ? 
pani

I agree that zero feedback and single-ended are quite direct sounding.  But, some of the most direct, immediate and vibrant sound can be had from output transformerless tube amps. 

This would be a rough generalization because I've heard some extremely direct sounding push-pull amps too.  Among the very best amps I've heard are the Western Electric 59A (crazy rare and expensive-pushpull), a recently built one-of-a-kind 271a amp (indirectly heated triode-pushpull), and a one-of-a-kind output transformerless amp. 

I own two amps that are not too bad in terms of delivering an immediate and vibrant sound: 1) a modern build of a Western Electric 133a (using vintage parts, including authentic WE input and output transformers and plate-type resistors); and an Audio Note (uk) Kageki (parallel single-ended).

I'm not sure what you mean by "direct" sounding, could you elaborate?

Are you talking about how some amps present a more immediate (forward) sound-stage, while other amps present a more laid back, deeper, sound-stage?
Some make you feel like you are mid-hall, while others make you feel like you are in the front row?
Or are you thinking of something else entirely?