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What does "Warm" mean?

In his post today Paul McGowan ([email protected]) had a pretty good post on the subject of warmth.  Here is his definition: "The word usually points at a few related things. There's a slight rise in the lower midrange and upper bass — the region where male voices, cellos, lower piano notes, and the body of most instruments live. There's a softness at the very top, a rounding off of transient energy that feels easier on the ear over long sessions. And there's a sense of weight and body in the music, a presence that makes acoustic instruments feel three-dimensional rather than etched in air. When all three of those things show up together, listeners reach for "warm" because nothing else describes it as quickly."

Paul then goes on to discuss both the good and the bad of this set of characteristics.  In general I associate warmth with harmonic distortion, but prefer it to the stridency or harshness that I associate with intermodular distortion.  I think most people would agree.  Since we all live with a certain amount of distortion, more in analog than in digital playback, I wonder what others think about warmth, or lack of same, and their tolerance or lack of same in their own listening preferences. 

billstevenson
kennyc
2,961 posts
 

@parkergetdean - I also appreciate the police and firefighters who protect us. Your overreacting. In the Bay Area, there was a push to get the military out. You’re free to vilify the military, but they defend our freedoms. I find 4th of July meaningful and am grateful for those who sacrificed for our freedom we enjoy today. Of you were Ukrainian, would you simply roll over and play dead to let yourself be absorbed back into Russian pseudo-communist control? They already lived it and want no part of it. Yes war is wasteful and terrible, but to prevent all parties must agree. If not, I’d rather defend now and for future generations the freedoms we enjoy today. Freedom is not free.

This is off topic. I will not pursue further.

parkergetdean
1,082 posts
 

I did not vilify the military, I criticized how it's used. I appreciate the troops and their sacrifices. 

Your statement was strawmaning and gaslighting, no one here disrespected the military but you presumed it happened and responded to something no one said. 

But overall, the army is like guns, no one should need them, they both lead to violence and destruction. Fighting for freedom vs. using the military to destroy countries that never threatened us and murdering innocent people are two vastly different objectives. One is noble, the other is evil and criminal. 

I am part Ukrainian and I am not sure about your point. Of course I side with Ukraine. 

faustuss's avatar
faustuss
830 posts
 

@billstevenson 

"What does "Warm" mean?"

Excessive amounts of intermodulation distortion from tube amps overdriven into speakers that are not sensitive enough. Tube amps sound fast, lively and crisp when matched to the right speakers and not "warm" and syrupy.

thecarpathian's avatar
thecarpathian
6,162 posts
 

Slava Ukraini!!

​​​​​​@parkergetdean +1000

rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano
2,979 posts
 

I believe it’s possible to have both warmth and analytical in the same system. 
in my system I have the highly analytical Benchmark DAC and amp combined with a classically warm vintage Conrad Johnson preamp.  I believe I have the best of both worlds.

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