Do you generally know the sound you like...and keep it straight in your head (not too easy, actually). To make head way, you need a reference. My method of using "seasons" to mentally place a component works pretty well. Of course, the more you listen the more re arranging you have to do as the rankings are relative to what you've heard;
SUMMER - Warm, soft and big sound. Think of a big old maple tree all leafed out. A BIG soft image against a light blue moisture laden light blue cloud filled sky. Less detail and dynamics tend to carry everything with them low to higher. Chesty midrange sounds.
FALL - OK, we've lost a lot of leaves but still have color. The tree is in more relief against the rest of the world. The air is more warm than cool with fewer clouds, and less moisture in the air carries a crisper image. So, you are starting to get better detail but still a "bloomy" warmer sound. Vocal chestyness fads some as there is a more COOL tone to things with a more open sound between instruments. Still the sound is warmer than cool.
WINTER - COOL is the word here. Naked branches in stark relief against a clear and dark blue sky. Intensely detailed sound and pretty with the right gear. The musical canvas is winter white and neutral. Nothing is there that isn't carried into the picture. This is a fast, crisp sound that knows exactly where it wants to go, and what sounds should come with it. Bass dynamics don't carry the lower midrange with it. There is excellent detail and openness around each instrument. Microdynamics are is stark relief to the other musical information no matter how detailed. Warmth is carried by the recording, not the electronics. But, be careful as a "crisp" amp that gets there with higher frequency over shoot can fool you into initially liking an amp that is actually summer or fall with a harsh upper texture /brightness.
SPRING - More cool than warm. The sky stays pretty dark blue but there is a warmth that is felt even on cooler days that says "spring". Just a hint of warmth is suggested as the trees buds are a soft green relief against a still mostly dry and blue sky. This is probably the best compromise to my ear as it can take the edge off a lot of bad CD recordings.
Call it the king of corny, but it works. I bought the CLX as I like the MUSIC to carry the warmth into the environment, not the equipment. A winter or fall piece is most transparent to the sound as it adds less that isn't in the recording. But yes, you can build a stereo to play THAT record super well as it is now a tone control. Me, I just admit not all stuff is recorded well and push to a system that is most neutral. I've had systems that only sound good on the "ends" of my music (one only) and this really limits my musical enjoyment as the ends have fewer statistical points of interest. I want music to be music, not a tube or a transistor.
The whole concept of high-end audio is neutrality yet we buy tone controls. Once you start doing this, it is REALLY hard to neutralize it out. Two neutral devices are easier to manage than one WARM and one COOL device played against each other.
I listened to SEVERAL amplifiers; Boulder, MOON, OCTAVE (tube), Plinus (class A) and that French class D design (can't spell it) along with a few more (the amps I had). ALL were different sounding. I bought the amp that sounded best on a wide range of music, which was a MOON W-8 (through my PASS LABS XP-10 that I brought along) through. Yes, you can still goof as I used high-resolution dynamic driver speakers, and NOT the CLX (didn't sell them). But, using several sets of speakers, I always liked the same amplifier for an evenhanded presentation. That's really a lie, as I did like some REAL expensive amps but could not afford them! But, I KNEW where I needed to try to get to with what I could afford.
