acoustics have so much to do with the sound of a live recording. I was basing my comments from going to the concert hall and hearing live jazz music. Some of the living stereo recordings sound more like the real thing. It seems like live just does not sound as good as the hi fi. It does not matter whether it is dry, warm, liquid, rosy, tubey, or whatever. As long as the system makes me want to listen to music, that is all that counts. I would throw accuracy out the window if I did not want to listen to it. Sometimes I see reviewers say the highs are rolled off a bit. They are always rolled off in the concert hall. Anyone who goes knows that. The instruments do sound natural and timbre and color of each is perfect because they are real. Some sytems do sound closer to the real thing but the question is, does it draw me in? Does it engage me?
Detailed sound? Real?
I have read about many audiophiles wanting more detail and air around the instruments to improve realism. usually, when i hear a system with these qualities, the sound is almost always thin and fatiguing. When I hear live music, it never sounds like air around the instruments and detailed. Most detailed systems sound way too detailed. When i hear live music, there is a sense of air, but not around the instruments. Actually, many times it sounds natural and mono. It seems to me that detailed systems are probably the most unrealistic in audio. Yesterday I heard a live performance of a piano and sax. The piano was so muffled sounding, much more so than on any system I have recently heard. The sax sounded more detailed, but still not like the stereos portray it. I think the secret to listening is to find something that sounds good and that you can listen to without fatigue. Natural Timbre, color and good bass, not overblown but good, gets you closer to the real thing IMHO