What does “musicality” really mean?


After 50+ years in this hobby, I realised that many reviewers use musicality to describe a warm system. Warmth often comes from extra even-order harmonics, softer transients, and a bit of mid-bass lift. Pleasant for vocals, but it can also hide detail and affect timing, especially with strings and percussion.

 

I also found that “sterile” sound usually points to room issues or system matching, not the recording. Engineers don’t master music to sound lifeless.

 

These days, if I want warmth, I just play music that naturally has it, instead of relying on equipment to add coloration.

 

hkcharlie

OP  What does “musicality” really mean?   After 50+ years in this hobby, I realised that many reviewers use musicality to describe a warm system. Warmth often comes~~

It's very hard to hear the musicality and warmth in immersive listening sound systems (almost all of your audio systems). The immersive system is actually much distorted sound system and it sound good only to a'philes who can hear in immersive sound. We can't hear the musicality and warmth of the original music in immersive sound system. 

In below video, 1st half is the natural sound guitar which is same as a natural sound audio system (musical system). 2nd half is the distorted sound guitar (all electric guitars) which is same as the immersive sound audio system.

Natural sound upgraded electric guitar

In below video, the left speaker sounds distorted and can't hear much music. The left speaker sounds bit better in immersive listening, but the original musicality is heard to hear. Almost your systems are sounding the left speaker.

Natural vs. Un-natural sound speaker comparison

I think these videos are a best way to explain how hard to achieve the musicality in audio. Alex/Wavetouch audio