What is Warmth?

A neutral transparent speaker can sound plain. It often would be easy to just walk on by such a speaker. Notice how they often close mike musical instruments and singers to capture more richness. I had some speakers with a TPX plastic cone. They gave a very pleasant richness and tone to stringed instruments. I went to my classical guitar and couldn’t duplicate that richness. My guitar sounded plain in comparison. I would call that warmth. My speakers are transparent so I usualy like a tubed preamp and vinyl to add warmth.

Bob

search: "pearls before breakfast". very interesting!! Joshua Bell

I think with regard to audio terminology, especially on audio forums, it is important to distinguish the proper definition of the term (a la the Holt Stereophile glossary of audio terms, etc), and the way that the term is used more broadly (and sometimes inaccurately vis a vis the dictionary definition).

In the case of warmth, it often seems that this term is also used to describe a system or component that handles the timbre and tonality of instruments particularly well.

(Reviewers may be more likely to employ audio terminology more correctly and precisely, but not necessarily.)

My definition of warmth I actually hear in live symphonic performances all the time. I think the hall can influence this quite a bit. One thing I never hear in a live performance is false sense of detail we hear in many systems. I would say the real thing actually sounds dull, slow, very rolled off and somewhat neutral. I never hear triangles, brass, anything for that matter sound as bright and detailed, the highs many talk about, it does not exist in live music ime It just goes to show how we all hear different. Very interesting thread.

Dear Suteetat: I'm not talking of halls per se but the performance of instrument as we hear when we are seated/listening at 2-3 meters from the players as the recording microphones are. This is the context and IMHO in this " environment " I think you can't find out that audiophile warmth everybody here are talking about. Their context is way different from what I posted.

That example that different violins could sounds one warmth over the other makes no sense to me, we can hear a Stradivarius against a Guarneri or against an Amati and even that these ones sounds different maybe we can't use the warmth word to differentiate one from the other, especialy on the audiophile warmth meaning.

In the other side what for one person can be warmth for other person it is just more neutral or accurate.

Anyway, my take is the same: audiophile warmth meaning is just a distortion/coloration that does not exist in the music pick-up ( at the very first instant. ) recording microphone. A warmth is a distorted characteristic in an audio item or in an audio system. I'm not talking here if what we like is that warmth tone in music but what is " correct/right " and IMHO warmth is " wrong ".

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.