The Pain of Neutral Sound

[Clive]

Alan Shaw of Harbeth says that the true test of a speaker is listening in the near field, and that almost any can sound reasonable in the middle or far field.

Very true, near field you're listening mostly to the speaker, mid or far field you're listening to the room as much as the speaker.

I've never been keen on a neutral sound though recently I've tried some equipment which is very neutral but unlike some kit it's not antiseptic. There's a difference between unpleasantly neutral and pleasantly pure. Too much of what is called neutral is to my ears not that, it's often just a bit bright or lacking timbre.