What exactly is critical listening? Who does it?

@sns I like the distinction you make between critical thinking and analytical thinking.

The idea that a critique can be "simple appreciation" is a tricky concept. To my understanding, "critique" involves at least two layers of experience, both the very simple *having* of the experience (resonating with the music) and the more reflective secondary *reflection* about the experience.

So, critique is multi-layered and this is not what some want in their listening. They want to just "enjoy the music" and that means *not* reflecting on it ("appreciating it" as you put it). This is why it’s conflated with "analytical thinking" which is thinking put to a purpose -- judgment about better and worse.

That said, one can understand the conflation, no? After all, appreciation is also (at least implicitly), depending on a comparative. To say, "Ah, now that’s really nice" is to imply that it’s "nicer than usual" which is comparative.

Personally, I cannot just immerse in music in a one-level way -- mere resonating. I move between that kind of immersion and the other, appreciation-listening. Still, going that additional step, to analytical thinking, can be hard to keep at bay, for me.

A critique may state the issue, analysis attends to the issue. 

My biggest issue is with the claim listening purely for the music is the highest/best mode or goal of the audiophile. How can this be when the very essence of this hobby/obsession is sound quality. So now we're supposed to ignore sound quality and transcend into this blissful world where sound quality is of no consequence. There must be something seriously wrong with the sound quality of one's system if listening to it causes stress, discomfort. 

The critical state of listening is a state where appreciation for the music, the performance of the artists, sound quality of system and recording all go hand in hand. I simply can't divorce myself from all these things when listening to my system. To appreciate all these things, and all simultaneously has always been my goal, why would I want to turn away from any of it!

And appreciation isn't necessarily an affirmation that everything is well. One can appreciate that poor recordings sound poorly, mid grade recordings have flaws, one can also appreciate that one's system may not be where one would like it. Tue critical state of listening is a mindful state where one recognizes all these imperfections yet accepts them on their own terms. I'm not going to bang my head against the wall constantly with the wrongheaded notion I'm not going to or I can't tolerate imperfection and flaws. 

Certainly for most of us there eventually becomes a time when certain flaws cannot be ignored or intolerable. Recording flaws are beyond our control so we focus on system flaws, certainly critical listening has uncovered or exposed these flaws, we then enter the analytical state  where analysis of these flaws and the means to repair them are formulated. Analysis is the locus for the vast majority of stress we feel comes from, often we can't determine exactly where these flaws coming from, upgrades and churning of equipment ensues. And this doesn't solve all the issues, so we go on to another cycle of upgrades and churning, far too many circles being traveled, faulty analysis the cause. 

@emergingsoul , once you told us that back when you were in the 1st grade you were fascinated by clean power and how it affected your system and how you would sneak away at recess and go to the local audio-shops to evaluate the latest power conditioners.  What type of listening did you do when you were making these evaluations?

i know for myself personally i find the deepest most meaningful feedback about where my system is from non-critical listening.....where i am just listening without any specific agenda. it’s when the full wonder of the music seems to happen

As far as I am concerned, @mikelavigne nailed it.

I don’t trust anything I think I hear when I focus on gear and system. I take mental notes, just in case, but sound quality insights aren’t real until they bubble to the surface at the detour of a piece of music I particularly enjoy, when my mind is lost a world away from equipment. If they do, when they do, then I know I can trust them.

@immatthewj 

Thank you for the remembrance. In my early years I was a huge rap fan. Critical listening was very important in my early formation years.

Since my early years analyzing the merits of rap, I have moved on.  

I've learned that satisfaction in the pleasures of life is elusive and rarely achieved if not for just a brief period of time.  We endure frustration and disappointment very often in our lives.  No matter how good it gets, sadness is ever present. 

Have a nice day.