When you go to a live, unamplified performance, of a small jazz group, or even a symphony orchestra, do you sit there and say to yourself ... "Oh my God! ... listen to that detail?"
Music first. Fidelity second.
Frank
I saw Holly Cole live at the Showbox in Seattle. A small venue, 100 to maybe 200. The show began with her singing from off stage. Just her voice, no amp, no nothing. "I Am Calling You" place got quiet real fast. As she walked out on stage everyone realized no mic, just her voice, and it was electric. As I recall she was joined by string bass and piano, also unamplified. Sadly, only for this first number. Well I can understand, people have their expectations. Afterwards however every one of us at our table said it was the best most memorable thing they ever heard at a show, and we all wished she had done the whole show that way.
Another time, Patricia Barber at Jazz Alley in Bellevue. Another very small venue, and this time we were seated close enough to see the glow from the lead guitar tube amp. Pretty sure Barber had her own tube amp as well, but don’t quote me this was many years ago.
Another time, Keb Mo in Seattle at the Paramount. Pretty sure the performance was equally "musical" to the other two, but hard to say for sure due to the painfully piercing treble spike that pretty much ruined the concert for me.
Years later, the Eagles in Seattle, another almost equally bad audio experience however this time so greatly overshadowed by their "musicality" I honestly couldn’t have cared less.
So yes indeed there is a tug of war, but to thoroughly mix the metaphors I would have to say when the chips are down musicality holds all the cards and fidelity takes a back seat or at best rides shotgun.
