If Warmth Is a Distortion, Why Do So Many Audiophiles Still Defend It?

@viber6 @devinplombier 

Thanks for the update on the NIOSH app. Before recommending it on this forum I did check to see if it is also available on Android phones. This search listed it fourth of five apps for Android phones: Android user apps for sound level meter - Search

If that search result is erroneous there are a number of sound level apps available for Android phones, many free and some costing a few dollars. Simply input "sound level meter" into your phone's app store. 

The advantage of the NIOSH app (at least on iPhones) is that it complies with the Type 2 requirements of the IEC 61672 standard for measurements within +/- 2 dBA. So, it is more or less accurate. That said, any readings may vary based upon a host of considerations - equipment, room acoustics, distance from the loudspeaker as well as position of the phone mic, etc.

This is why I suggested that results are simply qualitative showing relative general loudness and duration. For better measurements you'll want to have a calibrated mic and software, and compliance to the extent possible to one of the published protocols, perhaps one of those available from the AES. 

While I used to really enjoy trying to do the kinds of measurements you read about engineers doing, I am now in retirement and occasionally enjoy just sitting in my chair with my phone while listening and watching the numbers change. One puzzling mystery encountered from this is how I consistently get readings of 20 - 30 db in the early morning when the house is absolutely totally silent to my hearing! 

This same comparison test with any line stage showed obvious veiling added by the line stage.  And yes, the veiling added warmth.  So that experiment showed that any added electronic stage colors the sound with added veiling.  My own experiment at home without the line stage showed the same thing, as I previously described.

@viber6 I'm not contesting what you heard; I've heard the same thing on occasion. But to conclude that just because you had two experiences that went a certain way that they all go that way is to entertain a logical fallacy called 'limited sample size'. IOW it doesn't always go as you described and I explained why. If you have a competent line stage driving the interconnect you may find its very different.

However, if the sound is 'thin', when the bass is restored it will sound warmer due to the ear's internal 'tone control' perception. 

IOW I think you may benefit looking into this a bit more.

Before recommending [the NIOSH app] on this forum I did check to see if it is also available on Android phones. This search listed it fourth of five apps for Android phones: Android user apps for sound level meter - Search

@sargonicuse 

Congratulations! You have successfully demonstrated AI is dead wrong sometimes and sources should always be checked.

Try looking for the NIOSH app in Google Play instead, and see for yourself that it is not there.

@devinplombier @viber6 

Thanks, but I'm going to pass. I didn't use AI. I used the Bing web search engine in Microsoft Edge which itself might use AI, but doing a direct AI search was not my intention.

FWIW, if interested I found this paper from the journal Applied Acoustics which provides a "sound" (no pun intended) reason why the NIOSH app doesn't work on Android phones:

Smartphone-based sound level measurement apps: Evaluation of compliance with international sound level meter standards - ScienceDirect

As stated, there are plenty of fine alternatives for Android phone owners. 

Best.

Dear @nubiann : " Nobody, not even most artists have a handle on how a recording should sound. We are humans and have both a limitation and a personal reaction to what we hear.""

Yes, we have our personal system targets and MUSIC/sound priorities.

Each one of us , no matter what, already choosed our " thousands " of trade-offs in what we listen in the room/system during recording reproduction.

"  but to me it sounds wonderful with most recorded music. "

That's all what we have to care and certainly we do not need validation of any one because what we like, no matter what, is what we are listening. Some audiophiles need that validation or like to show how theor system performs and always I ask: who cares about but the system owner and this with all respect is true form my point of view.

""  you don’t need huge ugly room treatments; soft furnishings rugs and curtains will do a great job of calming a live room . ""

Agree word by word.

Yes we just can't avoid room/system colorations where these colorations/noise/distortions is always developed through all room/system no matters what.

We have what we have.

At the end even with all those trade offs/colorations we really enjoy our room/system recording quality levelperformances durin our listen sessions and we do because we almost all are MUSIC lovers that we can enjoy it even in the car radio.

R.