What exactly is critical listening? Who does it?

@emergingsoul 

Thanks for your nice words. I got the Loki more out of curiosity than need. When hooked to my various digital sources, I quickly realized I hardly ever felt the need to use it as each has reached a quality of sound to my ears that really doesn't need equalizing. Except for some old poorly recorded CDs which I simply don't listen to anymore anyway. And for poorly mastered vinyl, I play them on my second TT hooked up to the Parks Audio Waxwing phono pre and the equalizing is plenty sufficient. In the end, I found the perfect use for the Loki, between my TV and blue ray player (all running through the main system), as it's lower sound quality can really benefit from the Loki. Now I can enjoy DVD concerts and you tube concerts without much of a drop in sound quality. And yes, diffusers in my room were badly needed. The ones at first reflection points made a huge leap in clarity and extending the soundstage. 

This is hard to define, as everyone has different goals. 

For me, critical listening has a few steps. 

1. How quiet the soft passages are the dark space

2. How different the soft from loud parts are, can a cymbal crash make me jump or surprise me?

3. Does each instrument have it's own space? Is it wide or narrow, are they crashed together or have their own space? Can I tell the difference between a bass drum and bass guitar?  

4. Decay, does a bass drum roll off, does a cymbal crash linger?

5. Vocals, are they up front? present, "on stage" so to speak.

6. Balance, is everything in balance? Does anything take over or is it smooth from bottom to top?

7. Does it make me feel anything?

@emergingsoul Thank you for the compliment regarding my system!

True it's mostly vintage with the exception of the digital front end however, it continues to please me quite thoroughly!

I've listened to newer gear of course but aside from a new cartridge or the Bluesound/Border Patrol combo, I haven't been compelled enough to invest in newer equipment. 

Happy listening.

For me critical listening is simply paying attention to the music and the recording quality with eyes closed and not doing anything else, just enjoying the music with no other distractions.

+1 @samureyex