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

@abnerjack I have always walked to the beat of my own drum. No real agenda here other than discussing, learning and sharing knowledge of what I have learned in this hobby during the last 39 years. If you head over to HIFiHeaven forum you will see some of my more insightful threads. Hey I started on this hobby like everyone else following the yellow brick road to “The Absolute Sound” also, but along the way I wised up and realized that audiophilia as traditionally practiced, with the constant upgrades and equipment carousel, is just like Scientology. Spend more and get to a higher level only to realize that it is all a sham, for the most part. There are some very valid and technically challenging aspects of this hobby and that is what motives me to stay involved. And I do like the equipment also. Just now I’m designing a new ultimate horn based system for myself that it’s different than any of the other ones that I have designed and put together in the past, so I’m very excited about the challenges ahead and doing something in a way that I have not done before in the past. I like challenges and overcoming obstacles and this hobby lends itself to that. I also like stirring people away from needless expenditures, like bespoke acoustically engineered rooms, but not many listen as they don’t understand the technical underpinnings associated with with the dependency on source excitations on the room boundaries and how they are dynamic and not universal. But oh well I try to help. And I also do learn from others on these forums so I’m no different from most here. What gives me an uncommon vantage point is my technical background as I do understand the underlying principles and elements at play. I’ll stop here by saying I’m always looking for a smarter way of doing things and getting the results that I’m after and after I achieve them then I look for and try to find a different way to yield the same or better results. Hopefully that tells you a little about me and why I’m here. I got the audio bug when I was 14 and only a few things have taken my focus from it since then. Lastly, give HQPLAYER a try, I think that you will uncover new potential for your system by using it, it is a game changer in my view.

This one is for my Super-fan, who just can’t stop thinking and talking about me. I found and have my ice cream…….hopefully one day you will learn, wake up, smell and realize that what you have been tasting is not ice cream:

Ice Cream

I did not read through this entire thread, and I might be repeating what others said. I attended the premiere of the new Parsifal at the SF opera two weeks ago. We had seats pretty close to the orchestra and the stage and I specifically listened to the sound, as I know the opera at heart: how does the live music compare to what I hear at home? Well, for one it is not really "warm" in the sense of a 1960s sound by 1960s gear, but what struck me more is the absence of any glare or hard upper mid and highs, even with brass at full throttle. The overall impression was "round", not angular or sharp. The latter sound signature, in MHO, is much more prevalent in today's systems and recordings, which is always a turn-off for me. So, yes, exaggerated "warmth" is not good in the sense of authenticity, but still way better than exaggerated highs or the so-called "analytical" sound many seem to prefer (especially Europeans, vs. Japanese audiophiles on the opposite end). Fortunately, my vinyl system is as neutral as they come and sounds quite similar to what I experienced at the opera house. 

When you go to see live music there is tons of distortion - some electronic but loads from the room. 

If the resulting combination of distortions from your system (room plus electronics) results in something that 'reminds' you best of the live experience, or whatever experience you are after, and therefore makes you listen to more music then it can't be criticized.

Some distortion is pleasing.  Most artist just wanted to capture the song or the spirit therein.   Who cares what color the spirit is as long as it’s captured.  If you like clinical listen to clinical, if you like color, color it all you want.  If you prefer looking at a Picasso through colored lenses, who cares what he originally intended.  Maybe he would’ve liked the colored lenses too. Run it through a chainsaw if it sounds good to you. It’s about your perception and nobody else’s.