Why isn’t more detail always better?

Looks like you're having a conversation with yourself. 

More detail is the Holy Grail. How that information is presented is where things get tricky. 

@ghdprentice I know you are an Audio Research fan. I am as well and owned a sp16 pre amp for a number of years. I like ARC because it tends to have very good detail and minimal if any artificial “tube bloom” compared to a many others.

I am going with the SS Schit Freya S for now. Freya + adds a front panel switchable tube input stage to Freya S three non tube options including passive. Very nice features and sound for the price. I can see why there are many Schit fans out there. If I decide I need more bloom, I could upgrade to Freya + for just a few hundred bucks more. We will see.

So far, my standing position is that more detail done well (not inherently bright or fatiguing) is usually a good thing, but more bloom not as often. You have achieve the right amount of bloom to suit personal preference. Also I think recordings of acoustic instruments as mentioned above is where more bloom may be better for more. I listen to all genres including pop/rock and electronic. I want detail but no extra “bloom there”.

but that’s just me. Interested to hear what others think and why

@noromance that’s everything for now. @ghdprentice mentioned bloom which is an interesting and related topic.

Interested in what others have to say about these things.   

More detail is the Holy Grail. How that information is presented is where things get tricky.

I agree. The new amp is a second generation Class D design that uses GaN transistor technology. Seeing what the latest and greatest technology can (cost effectively) do with the sound I hear is always of interest to me. Done well, technical innovations can yield better results than was possible prior. The amp it replaces use a Hypex NCore Class D module that is now several years old and not GaN. That replaced an amp with older Icepower Class D technology done very well at the time by Bel Canto. None of these amps are slouches but each sounds much different for sure.