What is meant when someone says a component is lacking soul

I have seen this mention in some reviews of the bell canto Evo 2i gen ii integrated amp.

smoky20404-24-2018 1:03am

twoleftears Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 5,318 posts 04-24-2018 at 03:49pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete no soul=clinical, uninvolving soul=more "body", perhaps even a little (horrors!) warmth
tooblue Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,924 posts 04-24-2018 at 04:51pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete The music is non involving and does not draw you in.
ncarv Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 983 posts 04-24-2018 at 05:17pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete It means it is not going to heaven. (Or something like that.)
hifiman5 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,832 posts 04-24-2018 at 05:54pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Recently had a glaring example of this when I sent my amp away for extensive modifications/rebuild and pulled out my slightly modded Adcom 555 back-up amp. Gave it a couple weeks to come to life but never happened. What I wasn't hearing was any note decay, any hall sound. The notes played but that was it. Dynamically, it was like going from a Bosendorfer to a garden variety harpsichord. No ebb and flow to the music! No "life". Or you could call it a lack of "soul".
dweller Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 3,781 posts 04-24-2018 at 08:23pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete To paraphrase Issac Hayes: Fresh hot popcorn without salt and butter.