27-12-2016, 09:54 PM
It's pretty simple really - we like distortion. It's an essential part of the artistic process during the making of a recording. What matters is the exact nature of the distortion. Valves (and tape machines) generally make a sort of distortion that is "nice", and it is easy to measure and express the effect scientifically. It's is also quite easy to demonstrate that (a) there is stuff that you can measure, and reliably identify in a blind ABX comparison, and (b) there is stuff you can't. The latter is what I was referring to. Like it or not, we don't just hear with our ears. Beware of going down that road while you are trying to learn electronics - it will seriously hold you back.
