What is “warmth” and how do you get it?

A question and a follow up -- did audiophiles talk about "warmth" prior to the introduction of consumer digital audio? And if they did, does "warmth" mean the same thing in each time period?

A slight clarification to my previous post:

In referring to ambience, my intent was to refer to the totality of hall effects, rather than to the sense of "air" with which that term is commonly associated, "air" primarily involving high frequency effects (as was stated earlier by others).

In fact I should probably have used the term "hall effects" instead of "ambience." I'm referring to the totality of the complex interplay that occurs in a hall between directly heard sound, and reflected sound that has been both frequency contoured and delayed by multiple increments of time. All of that, as I have perceived it in my concert-going experience, is a key factor in perceived sonic "richness," which I (and others earlier in this thread) correlate with "warmth."

Best regards,
-- Al

Almarg, Thank you for your explanation. I am in full agreement. By changing overtones you change the shape of the wave and the resulting sound. The most basic example is the sine wave and square wave at the same frequency.

As the OP indicated there are many factors that can contribute to the perception of warmth, none ‘better’ than the others. Some types can be good when they compensate for deficiencies elsewhere is a system, everything is a synergistic balancing act.

The term ‘warmth’ can be used to describe sound as being additive, subtractive, and a component of a neutral sound. Scientists who study such things will tell you that there is no such thing as cold, only the absence of warmth. An analogy using the most common meaning for the word warmth would be to determine an ideal room temperature, say 70 degrees. This would be your 'neutral' or live sound reference. By subtracting warmth you would cool the room, by raising the temperature you would warm it, but the ideal would still possess ‘warmth’. We can apply the term ‘warmth’ to describe a range of sound in the same ways. If a sound is cool, it lacks warmth and is unnatural. If it sounds neutral it has just the right amount of warmth and sounds natural or neutral. If it sounds too warm, then it is unnatural. Warmth can be used to describe naturalness of timbre.

We agree on the basic sonic character of ‘warmth’, but being an adjective, it can be used to describe a wide range of that character, both very minute, and very large differences. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the person using the word to ensure that the description of the degree of warmth is understood by the audience. The exact definition of any word will never overcome sloppy usage.

Onhwy61, Yes, audiophiles used the term 'warmth' before the 'advent' of digital. :)

FWIW, I think that when we attend many concert halls, especially large ones with many patrons, we are often exposed to "warmth". The same instruments can sound quite different; without an audience, in different rooms or even in different seats. Depending on your perspective "warmth" can be either natural or a by-product of a typical live listening experience.