Distortions that the human ear likes. Are there any ?

It’s not the harmonics. It’s the harmonic distortion. Harmonic distortion is a technical term. Specifically,

The total harmonic distortion (THD) is a measurement of the harmonic distortion present in a signal and is defined as the ratio of the sum of the powers of all harmonic components to the power of the fundamental frequency. Distortion factor, a closely related term, is sometimes used as a synonym.

Guess what, they already found out a long time ago THD is not well correlated to what audiophiles perceive as good sound. In fact, Amplifier A can sound decidedly worse than Amplifier B even when Amplifier A has a THD 💯 Times better than Amplifier A.

Next up, list as many sources of distortion as you can.

I think what the engineers were talking about were the nuanced distortions injected into even order harmonics that can please our ears. He wasn't referring to even ordered natural harmonics as they wouldn't be distorted, by their very nature.

Think tubes from the good old days that couldn't help but introduce even ordered harmonic distortions. Those old enough to remember when tubes powered everything, including your TV. Those days. 

All of what engineers do nowadays is based on those very old notions of what sounds pleasing. It can't be helped. It gives rise to lots of debate as to what sounds right as technology progresses and when you hear a really good, minimalist recording, you get it. Our ears have been played with for a long, long time.

Musicians estates, long after they've departed, still insist on that sound that existed/was used back in the day. Sometimes it's played with but not often are they corrected to what it actually sounded like. Those that do are usually reissued and touted as remastered.

Nat King Cole is a good example. I was lucky enough to hear a CD that made it pass his estate where there was no manipulation of the performance and it sounded like he was right in the room with me, playing away. When his estate found out, they halted and recalled all the CDs that made it out and had the recording altered to how they felt Nat should be remembered; like he sounded on all of his recordings. 

He was no longer in the room. 

All the best,
Nonoise

This just in!

“The higher harmonics, above the 7th, give the tone "edge" or "bite." The basic cause of the difference in tube and transistor sound is the weighting of harmonic distortion in the amplifier’s overload region (the italics are mine). Transistor amplifiers exhibit a strong component of 3rd harmonic distortion when driven into overload.”

Since there are so many sources of distortion one has a very tough road to hoe to try attribute any distortion he hears to the particular source or sources. Some things are easier than others, for example mechanical feedback and clipping.

Based on what I've read, and experienced, including writing from Pass, and listening to Pass gear and my own experiences, here goes:

The perception and appreciation of distortion and other non-linear sound reproduction is a learned, not innate, capability or feature of the ear / brain mechanism.


Being learned, it varies from individual to individual. Unless we do a survey that is credibly representative of "most audiophiles" this question has no answer which can be backed up by more than individual accounts.


So, the good news is that variety of product selection is most likely to have a product at a price point most audiophiles can be satisfied with. The bad news is I am not going to agree with a LOT of audiophiles as to what sounds good, but then, I don't really care if I do.


Your own wallet and your own ears and your own heart must ultimately be used to determine the value, desirability and sacrifice you will make for a particular bit of kit. It isn't wrong to like something that sounds like your '78 Oldsmobile. Just don't try to force me to believe it is neutral or state of the art.

Best,

E

To confuse the waters even further, there's also changes in our hearing with age and trauma.


There are speakers which are arguably far from neutral, which may correct for these losses, and make your ears feel young again.


Is this "pleasurable distortion?"  Is the loudness curve, whether in an amp, or in the speaker design not distortion?


So yes, we can like things far from neutral at times.