Is it too bright or is it high resolution?


It has been said in the forums that one mans bright sounding amp is another mans high resolution amp. Some amps and preamp combinations can deliver a high resolution presentation and to others this may be considered too bright sounding. Is there a fine line that can distinguish between the two? Personally I like very revealing & the fine details delivered but the wife says it sounds a tad bit too bright.
phd
knownothing
I have heard very expensive systems (even with tube electronics) that made my ears bleed - plenty of resolution, but also an a-euphonious bite. This is with recorded music that I was familiar with and generally enjoyed listening to on other systems. If this is how the original engineer intended it to sound, then we disagree on what sounds good.

I agree reed and I'll actually go quite a bit further and say almost every system I've heard is way too distorted in treble especially but also everywhere else. And this is true even for mega buck systems. Time of day, weather, setup, mistakes in the system and simply being used to hearing the distortion all contribute to the sad state of affairs. And I don't even have to open the whole can of worms involving...you know.

Good point but can someone explain what accounts for distortion in the treble region on some systems?
Damaged drivers
bad connections
electronics...

I think the question might be a bit too broad.
No, not really. That’s much too, uh, mundane. What I’m talking about is the distortion that’s THERE even with top notch equipment set up properly with no mistakes and without overly severe room anomalies. I know what you’re thinking. "I don’t hear any distortion." That’s because you’re used to it. Trust me, it’s there. You won't realize it until it's gone. Well, at least reduced. 😬
If it bothers you after listening for awhile, it's too bright.
Brightness can often be alleviated by towing your speakers in more.