True to life recording? - We are fooling ourselves!

[Kal Rubinson]

1 hour ago, Blackmorec said:

In real life an instrument launches a sound wave that creates a circular, expanding set of soundwaves in air.

I think that is a great simplification.  While the sound wave may expand in all directions, it does not usually do so symmetrically in a circular or, more specifically, spherical pattern but is decidedly asymmetric due to the shape and configuration of the instrument and the presence of the player.  For example, the sound pattern that is created by a violin comes from the strings, the body and the f-holes (which direct the energy in different ways) and all are greatly influenced by the position of the player who holds it on one side of his body.

[Kal Rubinson]

37 minutes ago, Blackmorec said:

The fact that a violin is a complex instrument has no bearing on how we hear it naturally vs reproduced from a stereo system 

Unless we are talking about dummy-head binaural recordings, it does.

[Kal Rubinson]

3 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

The complex waveform is distorted as it bounces off the pinna, and then experiences more distortion as it propagates thru the ear canal. 

The ear canal (external auditory meatus) is tuned by its length and being closed at one end.  And, of course, the pinna keeps moving in normal people.

3 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

The bones provide a 3x amplification but smear the transient response even further. 

It can be spoken of that way but it is more of an impedance transfer (like a transformer), increasing force at the expense of displacement.

3 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

My grandmother could design a better system and she is dead.

Did she think up the protein springs that link the tips of the hairs (cilia)?

 

Interesting cook's tour.

[Kal Rubinson]

3 hours ago, kirkmc said:

Even having a three-channel system would be an improvement on two speakers, but that would probably reinforce the central sweet spot. 

In my experience, it does the opposite if properly  recorded and balanced.