What is the most analytical sounding amplifier that you have heard?


Some people like analytical and even consider this quality a signal of neutrality or honesty, so I don't want this to come off as a hate thread. ;-) 
seanheis1
Mark Levinson is the epitome of analytical. One time I was listening to a record that seemed almost perfect at first, but yet within minutes I was sick and tired and uncomfortable and really did not want to continue listening at all. This fascinated me. Why? What was wrong? So I kept listening. Very neutral. A little too bright or etched but no more so than a lot of others. Incredibly detailed, usually a good thing. After a while my mind landed on, "sterile". Like everything was there, only with all the life sucked out of it. 

Which I think is the true meaning of analytical. Everything there, only with all the life sucked out of it. Like if you analyze a rose, you get all the cellular and molecular structure, everything but the rose. Like that.  

Okay. So once I figured that out, that is quite enough of this record (Jacintha, Autumn Leaves) and back to the shelf it went, where it has rested for years, never played, kept around only in case someone wants a demo of everything wrong with solid state. 

What does this have to do with Mark Levinson, you ask? Before putting it away I had a look through the liner notes. Recorded and mastered exclusively on Mark Levinson electronics. So there you go. 
millercarbon,

"Recorded and mastered exclusively on Mark Levinson electronics. So there you go."

What edition is that?

None of the LPs/CDs on discogs.com mentions Mark Levinson electronics despite going into details about microphones, tape, and cables, etc.

In fact, that particular album was recorded on Ampex ATR-100 recorder and seems to be mastered by Bernie Grundman on Sony DSD machine.

Do you have one-of-a kind copy recorded just for you?

So, there you go. Try this one.

Jacintha – Autumn Leaves -The Songs Of Johnny Mercer (1998, 180g, Vinyl) - Discogs