I think you're right in that in-your-face and laid-back describe two extremes but I see laid-back in more reviews than in-your-face probably because the phrase doesn't seem as bad.
To me laid-back is an apology code phrase for being overly polite, dynamically challenged, and possibly veiled. But that's just my interpretation. Similarly when a reviewer describes digital gear as being analog-like I take a similar cautious view.
My CJ gear, Pass Aleph 3, Wavelength DAC, Luxman DAC were all of the above. The ML 383 integrated was laid-back to the extent that it did injustice to even elevator music.
