I'm not sure what you mean by detail and clarity. Detail - hearing
everything on the recording depends to some extent on the level you
listen
to it at, as any external background noise can mask things. Clarity?
Isn't
that the same thing? (Dave)

Hello Dave - I'd probably agree with you that detail and clarity are
pretty much the same, and also that level and background noise affect
it (commonly a computer on in the same room). I think the interesting
thing to pursue is the "internal" (to the reproduction system) blurring
between distinct sounds, and on the other hand masking of very low
level sounds. I think it's progress with these that gives clarity (no
blurring) and low level detail (emergence of previously unnoticed
information). I'd add timbre as important for those whose listening is
predominantly to acoustic instruments. I'm not sure that any of the
above terms are free of subjective qualities, or meanings personal to
those who use them, but we need some sort of language to communicate in
the first place.