Mr. Pass (Pass Labs) once said that stereo reproduction is an entertainment and not dialysis. What he meant was that in a sense, whatever it takes to sound good. I do believe if a system is optimized for rock, pop and so on, will probably won't sound as good in classical and likewise.
Just like anything in life, if something is optimized to perform optimally in one area, will fall short in another. A really great sport car won't feel comfy in a long journey like a Lexus. I have never seen a great artist and a great physicist exist in one person.
I don't think Einstein can play as well as Beethoven, but that doesn't mean there isn't a person who possesses both qualities (if not equally), just that if that person exists, he or she won't be remembered as well as if they were separately. Likewise, a system can sound "good" in both classical or rock/pop, but it won't excel in either area. I guess the word is "compromise".
Just like anything in life, if something is optimized to perform optimally in one area, will fall short in another. A really great sport car won't feel comfy in a long journey like a Lexus. I have never seen a great artist and a great physicist exist in one person.
I don't think Einstein can play as well as Beethoven, but that doesn't mean there isn't a person who possesses both qualities (if not equally), just that if that person exists, he or she won't be remembered as well as if they were separately. Likewise, a system can sound "good" in both classical or rock/pop, but it won't excel in either area. I guess the word is "compromise".