[roymail]

One of the most commonly used terms in audio is the word warm.  It is often used to describe the tone of the sound one is hearing.  I once read that audio sonics  can be roughly described by one of the following three words... warm (as in full bodied), neutral, or lean (thin as in lacking fullness).  In your opinion, is this description accurate?

Sometimes warm is used to describe the romantic sound of tubes verses the more neutral sound of SS.  In fact, the word is used so often, it's getting confusing as to what the poster is actually referring to.

So I'd like to pose the question to anyone who would like to offer their definition of what warm sounds like to their ears.  Does it refer only to the tone of the sound you hearing, or are there other aspects of the sound being described by this word?

Thanks for your input.   

[JLM]

Warm versus lean sounds like a description of a sleeping mate.   

Normally I associate warm with heavy, thick, un-dynamic, mid-bass emphasis, and yes romantic.

I think of lean as analytical, lacking body/substance (like a cartoon versus a painting), tone, with emphasis on detail (like professional studio/reinforcement monitors).

Thanks for bringing this up here, as I feel that I have a fully solid state yet fairly warm system with my AlNiCo drivers.  Tubes could be too much of a good thing.

[SteveFord]

To me Warm means lots of bass, lots of midbass, rolled off highs - a "polite" or recessed sound.
For my gear that would be Stax Sigmas, NAD integrated or think of an old Grundig tube radio.
Easy to listen to but not the greatest for revealing detail.

[OzarkTom]

Many times warm sound to me translates to the sound as going through output transformers. Many thinks the tubes are sounding warm, but OTL tube amps never sound warm. OTL's are quick and open and very detailed.

Listen to a McIntosh SS amp with output transformers. It sounds warm and fuzzy like the transformer driven tube amps. Warm usually means not as much detail coming through your system that is capable.

Or something like that.

[Stercom]

I think most audiophiles would agree with your definitions of warm, neutral and lean. The problem is you shouldn't generalize what type of gear sounds a certain way. I've heard plenty of tube amps sound "lean" and plenty of solid state amps sound "warm". It comes down to system matching and how you want to tailor your system to your tastes and budget.

[timind]

Also pretty much concur with your definitions. And for the record "warm" or "musical" is what I strive for. No tubes in my system either.
I have only had two pieces of tube gear in the last few years and although I wouldn't complain about there sound, I couldn't live with the excessive heat.
My ears can't tolerate too much treble.

[roymail]

Easy to listen to but not the greatest for revealing detail.

Warm usually means not as much detail coming through your system that is capable.

So do most agree that warm tone usually usually indicates less detail to some degree?  What about resolving, clarity, etc?

It comes down to system matching and how you want to tailor your system to your tastes and budget.

I would have to agree with that, too.

[JohnR]

So do most agree that warm tone usually usually indicates less detail to some degree?

Hi Roy, well... I don't agree with that at all. Less detail is less detail, that's what and all it is. And even that is not very meaningful, as "less detail" can be more realistic because "more detail" might mean over-emphasized detail. By analogy, when an image is sharpened it's tempting to crank it up because it looks "more detailed." But then you realize that it rapidly moves away from realistic.

[roymail]

Hi Roy, well... I don't agree with that at all. Less detail is less detail, that's what and all it is. And even that is not very meaningful, as "less detail" can be more realistic because "more detail" might mean over-emphasized detail. By analogy, when an image is sharpened it's tempting to crank it up because it looks "more detailed." But then you realize that it rapidly moves away from realistic.

Hey John, thanks for your post.  Could you give your opinion on WARM tone and what it sounds like to your ears?  Appreciate it.

[rollo]

  Boys boys warm is the opposite of cool. It is the the interputation of the terms that is confusing. 
   Warm sound to me relates to comfort. Cozy and easy on the ears. However warm to me may be too warm for others and visa versa.  Cool to me is thin with not much emotioal impact. More cerebral than involing. My take, anyway.


charles
SMA
 

[JohnR]

Hey John, thanks for your post.  Could you give your opinion on WARM tone and what it sounds like to your ears?  Appreciate it.

Hi Roy - WARM doesn't mean anything particular to me. I guess that's what I was saying

[rajacat]

It seems to me that we shouldn't lose sight of the goal of replicating the sound of live music. Granted this goal may be impossible to fully realize but nevertheless you need a target to aim for instead of just "tailoring" the sound to individual tastes.

When we do hear live music, esp. acoustic music, do we think that it sounds warm, cool, overly analytical, etc?
No, it's just live music. So neutrality would seem to be the best term to describe the goal of mimicking live music. However, many seem to want "warm" systems. Is live sound "warm"? Is lean or cool sound the sound of live music? I doubt it.

[Ericus Rex]

  Boys boys warm is the opposite of cool. It is the the interputation of the terms that is confusing. 
   Warm sound to me relates to comfort. Cozy and easy on the ears. However warm to me may be too warm for others and visa versa.  Cool to me is thin with not much emotioal impact. More cerebral than involing. My take, anyway.

+1

As for live being neutral.  I disagree.  I've heard live music sound warm, lean, neutral, colored, great and like absolute crap.  I want my system's music to sound great all the time.  If my system errs (some would call it an 'err' - not me) on the warm side, so be it.  A neutral system all too often shows off the incompetence of the sound engineer rather than the true quality of the instrumentation.  A little system 'warmth' would take the bite off that particular unfortunate recording.

[rajacat]

I guess this is the "is it live or is it Memorex" question. You want to tailor the recording for your individual taste and really don't care if it sounds like what the recording engineer intended. Sure that might sound better to your ears but how do you know if you're not changing what the actual performer intended? It would be sorta like not liking those very high notes in a classical composition so you just filter them out. This seems like audio narcissism to me.

I don't understand how you can say that you've heard live music sound warm, cold, thin, etc. It is what it is....live.

[brother love]

I always associated "warm" w/ a mellower sound that is easier on the ears. Tubes were often a way of achieving this.

I bookmarked the Stereophile audio glossary some time ago & find it to be helpful:

warm: The same as dark, but less tilted. A certain amount of warmth is a normal part of musical sound.

dark: A warm, mellow, excessively rich quality in reproduced sound. The audible effect of a frequency response which is clockwise-tilted across the entire range, so that output diminishes with increasing frequency. Compare "light."

http://www.stereophile.com/reference/50

[BobRex]

I don't understand how you can say that you've heard live music sound warm, cold, thin, etc. It is what it is....live.

Live music is dependent upon who is playing it and where it is played.  An old Martin D28 does indeed sound warm compared to a Taylor or an Ovation.  Same music, same player, same notes, different tone.  Now go listen to Beethoven's 3rd.  Listen in Boston, then listen in Vienna, then again in Hollywood.  Now tell me that one doesn't sound "warmer" than another.  Keep in mind, it's the same notes! 

Live has its "temperatures" - a good system will present the differences.  It should be warm when the recording is and also cold as ice if the recording dictates. 

[rajacat]

Live has its "temperatures" - a good system will present the differences.  It should be warm when the recording is and also cold as ice if the recording dictates.

+1

[Rclark]

 Ok so now you guys are totally messing me up.

 I was under the impression that for warmth you HAD to have tube amps, and that ALL tube amps have a warm sound to them. If that's not the case, and it's just about bass and midbass levels...... What's the point then of tube amps? Just a reason to blow money? Because as I understand it, the whole reason to get a tube amp was to get a "warmth" that cold, calculating, icy SS or chip gear can't provide.



 

[spinner]

 Here's one, if anyone can describe.( I didn't see this in the Glossary) It is the term " organic" ??????????????????????

[OzarkTom]

Here's one, if anyone can describe.( I didn't see this in the Glossary) It is the term " organic" ??????????????????????

Isn't that the one that 6moons uses alot?