How do you judge your system's neutrality?



Here’s an answer I’ve been kicking around: Your system is becoming more neutral whenever you change a system element (component, cable, room treatment, etc.) and you get the following results:

(1) Individual pieces of music sound more unique.
(2) Your music collection sounds more diverse.

This theory occurred to me one day when I changed amps and noticed that the timbres of instruments were suddenly more distinct from one another. With the old amp, all instruments seemed to have a common harmonic element (the signature of the amp?!). With the new amp, individual instrument timbres sounded more unique and the range of instrument timbres sounded more diverse. I went on to notice that whole songs (and even whole albums) sounded more unique, and that my music collection, taken as a whole, sounded more diverse.

That led me to the following idea: If, after changing a system element, (1) individual pieces of music sound more unique, and (2) your music collection sounds more diverse, then your system is contributing less of its own signature to the music. And less signature means more neutral.

Thoughts?

P.S. This is only a way of judging the relative neutrality of a system. Judging the absolute neutrality of a system is a philosophical question for another day.

P.P.S. I don’t believe a system’s signature can be reduced to zero. But it doesn’t follow from that that differences in neutrality do not exist.

P.P.P.S. I’m not suggesting that neutrality is the most important goal in building an audio system, but in my experience, the changes that have resulted in greater neutrality (using the standard above) have also been the changes that resulted in more musical enjoyment.
bryoncunningham
Kijanki, let me give you an example. I have a DAC that is tuned to warmth. This is accomplished by the use of signal constricting diodes for the most part. Replacing that diode with a wide open gate diode. I get to hear those twinkly highs, and high pitched piercing sounds.
Tuned to warmth - that is your preference. I don't care for warmth (other than winter clothing here in Chicago).
You did not read what I wrote. I said I changed that colored DAC to a DAC with equal access to all frequencies. That is what I want.
there was an iteresting piece in stereophile edited by markus sauer which attempted to show that there was no evidence that sound quality had a high correlation to satisfaction when listening to music.

i agree, from an academic basisis, that analysis is a worthy pursuit. it sharpens the brain cells.

however, except for system malfunction, or disssatisfaction with what one is hearing, that it is a useful endeavor when listening to music.

there are many topics that i have introduced myself for purely philosophical purposes, rather than to enhance the enjoyment of music.

i enjoy a good debate and i think that this subject lends itself to practice one's debating skills.

the question of this thread may be rhetorical, after all, in that it has no definitive answer.