Look, you got me wrong and some very simple things you fail to understand, I'm beginning to think you do it on purpose.
I heard, owned, own a lot of very expensive equipment. CD player I have at the moment sold for 3k when it was new. I had others. It plays differently, it's easy to hear it. The difference shouldn't be there and I wouldn't recommend this player with a straight face. I'm selling it, but I clearly state what it is. Luckily it's very famous with audiophiles and they know what they're getting so it's not hard to sell it.
The basic division as I see it and as was often mentioned in these forums is; what ever happens during the production of music and recording of the music, happens. In reproduction, however, the less happens, the better. That's what I meant by neutral. The idea is recording is storing of the music on a medium, reproduction should tell you what is stored and not change that.
Of course (!!!) this is not entirely possible and it describes something you strive for. Well, something you may or may not strive for. It's up to each one of us when choosing for ourselves.
I migrated to ASR from AH. Kiddin', of course. I use both and in combination with AudioBS, I can get straight answers and not waste time on hearing what someone likes (in his house, with his ears/age, shape of listening room, material of walls and perhaps even sound signature equipment where combining a few in a chain would make the "untangle-able Christmas lights"
For comparison; why would you put on blue sunglasses and go to a museum to look at pictures differently coloured, right?
So, that's it; there IS a difference, but is not welcome IMO, also some differences are imagined, neutral is desirable in reproduction, not necessarily for the artist, EVEN if you want to tune the sound to your liking, it's gonna be easier starting from as neutral as you can get. OTOH if you get a sound signature you don't like, you'll have a hell of a time to correct it. And it is almost impossible to get a sound signature that will work with all programs. Imagine equipment that sounds "warm" to you and imagine playing program that sounds "warm" to you. It can get hot!
I hope you at least understand the general idea.