What is this term 'analytical' ?

Have you ever got your TV really tuned in with new cables, a renderer etc. and the actors no longer look like they are in a movie but you are actually on the set watching the movie or TV show being filmed.

Way too much detail.

Musical is mostly rhythm and pace (and timing). A technical term that takes a lot of time to become sensitive to detect it directly… took me decades. A way I detect it is , does my foot just naturally want to start tapping to the music. It isn’t about details, it is about how captivating the music is. Typically analytical system can be devoid of it.

As an example when my system was spectacularly detailed I would listen to an album with interest… but never more than 30 - 40 minutes. Now my system is incredibly musical and I have a hard time tearing myself away from it after a couple hours. I listen three hours a day… and would listen more if I had time.

To me, the best way for an audiophile to loose his way is to become enamored with details and slam and find his system devoid of musicality. Tubed components tend to be very musical.

What does sterile sound like? What does character sound like? What does connecting emotionally sound like? 

Everything is subjective (see any number of other threads). But analytical is when you are listening to a recording and you find yourself perceiving the individual instruments/voices more and the overall ensemble effect less. It’s not the same as tipped-up treble, but there’s definitely a link/overlap.  Your "detailed" might be my "analytical" or vice versa.

Antonym is Musical. BTW, some enjoy microscopic detail. To each their own