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Distortions that the human ear likes. Are there any ?

This is based on a post from another thread, where someone speaking to a studio mastering engineer, repeated a quote by this engineer, stating " most audiophiles like certain distortions ", and it quickly started a debate. I did not want to continue this on the other thread, as it had little to do with the OP's direction on his thread. What say you, Geoff, George, Almarq, Ralph, anybody......if this thread goes nowhere, I can always have it removed. Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Whoa! I remember him from Crosby, Stills and Nash. Rock on!
rja's avatar
rja
2,378 posts
 
I guess the question comes down to: How do you like your truth?.
cd318
2,636 posts
 
A touch of reverb almost always seems to be universally preferred. The so called singing in a tiled bathroom effect.

I wonder why? Could it be that it somehow makes us feel safer?

Or is it some otherworldly dreamlike quality that we like.

Even better than real life?

Perhaps that's why Pop music has been processed in some way or other for decades. Some of the artists have enjoyed more than a little vocal assistance.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Flanging, whammy bar, wah wah pedal, pseudo quadraphonic, equalization, Dolby, echo.
davidgwillett
63 posts
 
Without reading all of this...
Strings.  The pure sound is the strings.
A violin a cello (etc) only distorts the sound from the strings, as it bounces around a bit before we hear it.   "Pure" is physics, and I love physics, but emotions are anything but pure.  

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