What is "polite" sound?

Sometimes it could be the other way around: polite sound could be the result of a significant amount of dynamic headroom (amplifier) and lack of distortion. The sound becomes very clean and due to the dynamic headroom one feels never "stressed" when listening. In real life music never sounds stressed or "dynamic". It sounds very "relaxed" with plenty dynamics, but never forced. Sometimes I think when I'm attending a live classical music concert (orchestra): it's kinda dull and polite sounding, but of course it isn't. It's a psychoacoustical thing. Like amplifiers with little dynamic headroom that can sound very "dynamic" and up front (which is a bit contradictory, I know) .

Chris

A polite sound does not have an odor.

sound that never gets in your face. the opposite of 'forward'....'laid back' about is the same thing

My interpretation of polite is lacking dynamics or liveliness. Generally not a good thing unless you're into background elevator-type music.

Similar to: non-aggressive, stable, relaxed, natural

As opposed to: forward, punchy, bloom.

It's more of a soundstage adjective. Not many would say Classe is lacking in dynamics or frequency extremes. I'm not that familiar with Classe but I consider "polite" a good trait of Plinius and Pass.