The terms "neutral" and "transparent" are abstract in the context of sound reproduction. Unless you talk about a gear selector or a physical material, like glass, for the latter; these terms are open to personal interpretation - as they should.
Going back to the OP's reference to the Dianna Krall performance. Even if you assume the sound crew nailed it for the live audience there are so many other variables at work in the recording process for that performance.
Microphones, cables, sound boards, tape decks (or discs), etc. that endeavored to capture what the audience heard - or what the recording engineer decided was optimal (to their ear). What if the recording did not sound exactly like the live performance? So what. Does it please you? My goal is to listen to music I enjoy on a system that helps me enjoy the music. If I don't like the sound then what else matters? My circus, my monkeys.
The pursuit we engage in is to put together a system that pleases us relative to the environment we listen to our music in.
You really can't achieve that completely by grasping at equipment that claims certain specifications or measurements.
You may get closer to your ideal by targeting equipment that you believe will deliver but the only true test is to acquire and listen for yourself - in the environment that matters to you.
Frustrating at times but fun more often than not.
Going back to the OP's reference to the Dianna Krall performance. Even if you assume the sound crew nailed it for the live audience there are so many other variables at work in the recording process for that performance.
Microphones, cables, sound boards, tape decks (or discs), etc. that endeavored to capture what the audience heard - or what the recording engineer decided was optimal (to their ear). What if the recording did not sound exactly like the live performance? So what. Does it please you? My goal is to listen to music I enjoy on a system that helps me enjoy the music. If I don't like the sound then what else matters? My circus, my monkeys.
The pursuit we engage in is to put together a system that pleases us relative to the environment we listen to our music in.
You really can't achieve that completely by grasping at equipment that claims certain specifications or measurements.
You may get closer to your ideal by targeting equipment that you believe will deliver but the only true test is to acquire and listen for yourself - in the environment that matters to you.
Frustrating at times but fun more often than not.