"The wide open bandwidth of an OTL can also invite unwanted super sonic spurious crap that gets into the picture... if not properly addressed."
It's ultimately an issue I hear as well. The level of transparency offered by an OTL mandates that EVERYTHING be balanced less hearing a bit more than you bargained for, that balance between clinical and musical which might be heard as an initial WOW as the brain starts working to fill in the blanks vs. being relaxed and engaged in the music, not the sound. When they are right, dialed in with the right components and addressing room issues, they can be quite special in their presentation.
It's ultimately an issue I hear as well. The level of transparency offered by an OTL mandates that EVERYTHING be balanced less hearing a bit more than you bargained for, that balance between clinical and musical which might be heard as an initial WOW as the brain starts working to fill in the blanks vs. being relaxed and engaged in the music, not the sound. When they are right, dialed in with the right components and addressing room issues, they can be quite special in their presentation.