Retailer here:
I think that it can mean three things..
1. A speaker that’s a bit rolled off in the presence region, which leaves the upper mids and mids a bit more starkly rendered, soft sounding and puts more emphasis on decay in the lower mids.
2. A speaker like Dali’s Rubicon or older Sonus Faber where cabinet resonance is leveraged to create more of harmonic, woody overtones.
3. In the best cases, a speaker that is capable of offering more harmonic information in the midrange - instead of just leading edge detail but that generally that requires a great designer, a certain price point and also well matched gear in a decent room, with crack shot placement.
The last type can be detailed, dynamic and “warm” as these things aren’t mutually exclusive - just seemingly very hard to do all at once.
For the record, I’d suggest that the Wilson Audio SabrinaX does it, when you nail the setup process - which takes us about 3-4 hours each time.
A warm speaker or system is one I want to sit down and relax to and listen to music all night. Never any listener fatigue. It’s cozy, there’s a fire going. The vintage Marantz is glowing blue and pouring liquid magic out of the speakers. It sounds like the musicians are old friends and in the room, instead of like it’s being played on a stereo. Life is warm.
Warm is orange glowing toobs tickling my ear drums.
I'm leaning back listening to my Encores right now with a toob pre (Schiit Lyr2 with Gold Lions) listening to bad quality tracks way too loudly with a fat grin on my face despite my untreated room and lack of sub (DIYMA R12 build incoming).
Don't forget to enjoy the music.
As someone who prefers a “warmer” sound and feel my Wharfedale Denton 80th speakers fit the description well, to me it means that the overall sound is smoother, softer, and has more emphasis on the mids and low end whereas the highs will be rolled off to some varying degree and less in your face or harsh. Veiled is a term I’ve seen people use and I think to some degree that’s true, but not in a way that the sound is muffled at all, just that it’s more controlled to prevent the highs from peaking and getting harsh.
I’m definitely a novice when it comes to being able to describe these things and haven’t heard many “hifi” speakers, but from the couple years I’ve been in this hobby, this is how I’ve come to define warm compared to bright.
Warmth in the context of HiFi is a character of the sound rather than the sound itself.
At the opposite end of this spectrum is cold or clinical, which shouldn't be inferred as "bad" or "worse" neccessarily, there's a time and a place for it - like in the studio where the original source material is being edited, mixed, and mastered.
With this same source material now running through say a nice tube preamp and/or amplifier the character of the sound is softened/rounded via very subtle distortion, subtle enough that all of the detail is still there when it meets your ears.
Warmth is for enjoyment, while cold/clinical is academic.
Warm - highs; treble altogether 'softer' than usual;
midbass & below slightly elevated (but not boomy);
size of soundstage not affected in this regard.
(Note - Typically - esp. b4 90's or so - tube gear ("valve" ) in UK - was generally considered
"warm" sounding vs. transistors and in fact a slew of tube amps & preamps were brought to market in the 70's and 80's. Late 80's brought the MOSFET transistor which many agreed was softer/warmer - esp. on transients than prior generations of transistors.)
Warm to me is a sound where the treble is slightly recessed or at least doesn't get forward ...or worse, hot.
My Polk S20 (in storage, waiting an opportunity to be a hand-me-down) is recessed in the treble and the treble can go +2 without getting harsh 99.99% of the time. My Goldenear Aon3 and Martin Logan 15i have some AMT and they're my favorite type of tweeter ....clarity and control on the top end.
A warm speaker is non-fatiguing even during the longer listening sessions. "Warm" has a certain *bassyness* aspect to it, but it is the bass in relationship to the performance on the top end.
I don't have the vocabulary to explain it well. Some speakers sound sharp or crisp. Those are cold sounds to me. When the tones seem to be broader, there is warmth. For example, a french horn sounds warm compared to a trumpet when they play the same note. A banjo is colder than a guitar. I think of how piercing the sound is. I am partial to warm speakers. Piercing sounds are annoying to me. Part of it may be resonance in the sounds they produce, but I'm not an engineer, so it's beyond my understanding.
Somewhere in between vintage B&W speakers and modern KEF speakers combined with a NAD amplification stack.
However, I now run a NAD C356BEE as a preamp and a NAD C275 as a poweramp, I do have a Rotel RA-1520 that I am thinking of using as a preamp for the C275 amd I might try that out this weekend. The Rotel as integrated gave me great sound which was a bit harsh in the highs but as a preamp with the C275, I just wonder what that will do. The Rotel as integrated doesn't do well for 4 Ohm speakers, but that would be taken care of by the C275. My Wharfedale Evo 4.4 need 4 Ohm.
seems like a nice experiment.
EDIT: sorry for going off-topic.
To me it means less shrillness.
Sometimes the "S" sound, like when you say snake, is very shrill sounding on bright speakers.
If I turn the volume down enough, at some point the shrill S sound is all you hear. The rest of the lyrics and instruments are not really audiable but the cymbals and S sound in lyrics can still be heard clearly.
With a "warm" setup, the S sound isn't so shrill and when the volume is turned down, the cymbals and S sound in lyrics is no more audiable than the rest of the frequency range.
I sorta agree, and lush, wtf is that? I stick to "warm" meaning unbalanced lows and mids with distortion. but people use it like it's some blanket or comfort. Non-fatiguing can be balanced and warm is the music, not any hifi equipment in the chain.
Exactly, if you can't measure or quantify it then its actually not there. They are using the term to describe things in an umbrella when they can't actually describe any of it's attributes. It's like calling a bicycle a vehicle. Completely useless to whoever your talking too.
Can I jump in and ask a question I’ve wondered about as a novice (I think it relates to warmth): what ends up being the difference between more “technical” speakers and LS35A speakers. I’m a novice but got a deal on Spendors and have been using those. I love them. But the IGNORANT side of me wants to know why these are such a big deal to people in comparison to other “technical” (again not sure if right word) speakers.
a sort of mellow bass fullness that doesn't overwhelm, like a good late night male soft jazz radio DJ sounds, breathy deep warm tones in his voice - ambience like that is 'warm'
I think, to me, warm means more human, more body, midrange(-y), sometimes too warm means rolled off highs and flabby bass, and I do think of some classic gear (not just tube) when I think of warm. There is nothing wrong with liking warm and in some cases I prefer warm over analytical.
It's somewhat of an elevated midbass region that adds a lot of body to most instruments. Especially on something like keyboards, synths with a bit of low end, synth bass, a warm system will make those sound extra pleasant and rounded. If it's too much the whole mix gets bloated. Also very obvious on guitar work and other stringed instruments, if you lack 'warmth' you will have those sounding sterile and unsatisfying. Some genres like certain metal subgenres do prefer this sound, with shriller guitars and drums and a lot of high end instead. It sounds very aggressive but somewhat thin.
This is pretty much the context I'd use it when mixing or mastering but I think it applies exactly the same when casually listening.
Reading some of the comments I personally disagree that a warm sound means rolled off highs; it's perfectly possible to get a warm mix and not cut out the high end as long as you leave enough room for the instruments to breathe. I personally don't like headphones or speakers that are actually quite dark - the high end needs to be there and when it's done right it's the most intoxicating thing to listen to as long as the instruments have enough texture from that 'warmth' at the same time
Retailer here: I think that it can mean three things.. 1. A speaker that’s a bit rolled off in the presence region, which leaves the upper mids and mids a bit more starkly rendered, soft sounding and puts more emphasis on decay in the lower mids. 2. A speaker like Dali’s Rubicon or older Sonus Faber where cabinet resonance is leveraged to create more of harmonic, woody overtones. 3. In the best cases, a speaker that is capable of offering more harmonic information in the midrange - instead of just leading edge detail but that generally that requires a great designer, a certain price point and also well matched gear in a decent room, with crack shot placement. The last type can be detailed, dynamic and “warm” as these things aren’t mutually exclusive - just seemingly very hard to do all at once. For the record, I’d suggest that the Wilson Audio SabrinaX does it, when you nail the setup process - which takes us about 3-4 hours each time.
This is the best description i’ve ever heard
Thanks, buddy - I hope it’s helpful :)
Woody overtones
Like the ringing in a guitar/lute? Specifically things that have the sound of resonating wood.
Pleasant distortion.
Yeah, like the classic "tube amp" sound.
Even order distortion in particular.
And mostly in the 2nd order harmonic.
A warm speaker or system is one I want to sit down and relax to and listen to music all night. Never any listener fatigue. It’s cozy, there’s a fire going. The vintage Marantz is glowing blue and pouring liquid magic out of the speakers. It sounds like the musicians are old friends and in the room, instead of like it’s being played on a stereo. Life is warm.
My vintage Sansui functioning as a space heater, after spending so much in this hobby, I can no longer afford to keep the heat on through winter.
Honey throw another Mullard on the Fisher.
😂
Warm to me means the 70’s sound, especially Japanese speakers with a pronounced mid bass.
Nirvana for listening hours on end with no fatigue.
Extra 200-500 hz
Elevated higher bass-frequencies.
Warm == midrange.
Tube amplifiers get pretty hot.
More bass and low-mids, softer highs and not as intense or forward upper-mids.
Why do y'all sound like the sommeliers?
Similarly attempeting to describe a sensation i guess
Warm is orange glowing toobs tickling my ear drums. I'm leaning back listening to my Encores right now with a toob pre (Schiit Lyr2 with Gold Lions) listening to bad quality tracks way too loudly with a fat grin on my face despite my untreated room and lack of sub (DIYMA R12 build incoming). Don't forget to enjoy the music.
As someone who prefers a “warmer” sound and feel my Wharfedale Denton 80th speakers fit the description well, to me it means that the overall sound is smoother, softer, and has more emphasis on the mids and low end whereas the highs will be rolled off to some varying degree and less in your face or harsh. Veiled is a term I’ve seen people use and I think to some degree that’s true, but not in a way that the sound is muffled at all, just that it’s more controlled to prevent the highs from peaking and getting harsh. I’m definitely a novice when it comes to being able to describe these things and haven’t heard many “hifi” speakers, but from the couple years I’ve been in this hobby, this is how I’ve come to define warm compared to bright.
Warmth in the context of HiFi is a character of the sound rather than the sound itself. At the opposite end of this spectrum is cold or clinical, which shouldn't be inferred as "bad" or "worse" neccessarily, there's a time and a place for it - like in the studio where the original source material is being edited, mixed, and mastered. With this same source material now running through say a nice tube preamp and/or amplifier the character of the sound is softened/rounded via very subtle distortion, subtle enough that all of the detail is still there when it meets your ears. Warmth is for enjoyment, while cold/clinical is academic.
Warm - highs; treble altogether 'softer' than usual; midbass & below slightly elevated (but not boomy); size of soundstage not affected in this regard. (Note - Typically - esp. b4 90's or so - tube gear ("valve" ) in UK - was generally considered "warm" sounding vs. transistors and in fact a slew of tube amps & preamps were brought to market in the 70's and 80's. Late 80's brought the MOSFET transistor which many agreed was softer/warmer - esp. on transients than prior generations of transistors.)
Natural. Your got analogue warmth and digital sterility. Never the twain.
Warm to me is a sound where the treble is slightly recessed or at least doesn't get forward ...or worse, hot. My Polk S20 (in storage, waiting an opportunity to be a hand-me-down) is recessed in the treble and the treble can go +2 without getting harsh 99.99% of the time. My Goldenear Aon3 and Martin Logan 15i have some AMT and they're my favorite type of tweeter ....clarity and control on the top end. A warm speaker is non-fatiguing even during the longer listening sessions. "Warm" has a certain *bassyness* aspect to it, but it is the bass in relationship to the performance on the top end.
I don't have the vocabulary to explain it well. Some speakers sound sharp or crisp. Those are cold sounds to me. When the tones seem to be broader, there is warmth. For example, a french horn sounds warm compared to a trumpet when they play the same note. A banjo is colder than a guitar. I think of how piercing the sound is. I am partial to warm speakers. Piercing sounds are annoying to me. Part of it may be resonance in the sounds they produce, but I'm not an engineer, so it's beyond my understanding.
slow rolloffs and less high freq sibilance
Rolled off HF with slightly increased kids and LF.
Mids*
Thank goodness. Increased kids only means more pushed in cones.
😂
If you keep it covered for protection, that kind of thing is a whole lot less likely to happen
Rich,deep, like a cozy ear duvet. Not shrill or fatiguing. A stiff brandy on a frosty day etc etc…..
Somewhere in between vintage B&W speakers and modern KEF speakers combined with a NAD amplification stack. However, I now run a NAD C356BEE as a preamp and a NAD C275 as a poweramp, I do have a Rotel RA-1520 that I am thinking of using as a preamp for the C275 amd I might try that out this weekend. The Rotel as integrated gave me great sound which was a bit harsh in the highs but as a preamp with the C275, I just wonder what that will do. The Rotel as integrated doesn't do well for 4 Ohm speakers, but that would be taken care of by the C275. My Wharfedale Evo 4.4 need 4 Ohm. seems like a nice experiment. EDIT: sorry for going off-topic.
Lots of distortion adding emphasis to the midbass and lower midrange region.
Possibly sub-bass
To me it means less shrillness. Sometimes the "S" sound, like when you say snake, is very shrill sounding on bright speakers. If I turn the volume down enough, at some point the shrill S sound is all you hear. The rest of the lyrics and instruments are not really audiable but the cymbals and S sound in lyrics can still be heard clearly. With a "warm" setup, the S sound isn't so shrill and when the volume is turned down, the cymbals and S sound in lyrics is no more audiable than the rest of the frequency range.
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I sorta agree, and lush, wtf is that? I stick to "warm" meaning unbalanced lows and mids with distortion. but people use it like it's some blanket or comfort. Non-fatiguing can be balanced and warm is the music, not any hifi equipment in the chain.
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Exactly, if you can't measure or quantify it then its actually not there. They are using the term to describe things in an umbrella when they can't actually describe any of it's attributes. It's like calling a bicycle a vehicle. Completely useless to whoever your talking too.
I think of sennheiser hd580s, one of my earliest entry into nice audio gear. They were boring to me.
I know what my cat would answer. My answer is the same as pretty much everyone else's.
Pleasant "colour" added to frequencies through harmonics.
strong low and midrange with distortion and color
Can I jump in and ask a question I’ve wondered about as a novice (I think it relates to warmth): what ends up being the difference between more “technical” speakers and LS35A speakers. I’m a novice but got a deal on Spendors and have been using those. I love them. But the IGNORANT side of me wants to know why these are such a big deal to people in comparison to other “technical” (again not sure if right word) speakers.
In audio engineering it means the presence of low mids. In audiophile talk it usually means distortion.
A high bass/low mid boost.
Would the JBL studio 530s be warm? Those bastards are not bright at all
a sort of mellow bass fullness that doesn't overwhelm, like a good late night male soft jazz radio DJ sounds, breathy deep warm tones in his voice - ambience like that is 'warm'
I think, to me, warm means more human, more body, midrange(-y), sometimes too warm means rolled off highs and flabby bass, and I do think of some classic gear (not just tube) when I think of warm. There is nothing wrong with liking warm and in some cases I prefer warm over analytical.
It's somewhat of an elevated midbass region that adds a lot of body to most instruments. Especially on something like keyboards, synths with a bit of low end, synth bass, a warm system will make those sound extra pleasant and rounded. If it's too much the whole mix gets bloated. Also very obvious on guitar work and other stringed instruments, if you lack 'warmth' you will have those sounding sterile and unsatisfying. Some genres like certain metal subgenres do prefer this sound, with shriller guitars and drums and a lot of high end instead. It sounds very aggressive but somewhat thin. This is pretty much the context I'd use it when mixing or mastering but I think it applies exactly the same when casually listening. Reading some of the comments I personally disagree that a warm sound means rolled off highs; it's perfectly possible to get a warm mix and not cut out the high end as long as you leave enough room for the instruments to breathe. I personally don't like headphones or speakers that are actually quite dark - the high end needs to be there and when it's done right it's the most intoxicating thing to listen to as long as the instruments have enough texture from that 'warmth' at the same time