Some audible complaints are recording format flaws, not playback faults

Evidence

Sound quality, timbral accuracy, is an essential starting point, but stereo soundstage and imaging, and multichannel and immersive spatial illusions are equally important. This book examines how we perceive sound quality, direction and space in these formats. Occasionally, what we complain about is a fundamental flaw in the recording format, not the playback apparatus. It is important to understand the underlying mechanisms, so we know where audible faults originate and who or what to blame. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 44

Categorization

• DEFINE: Establishes the book’s scope: sound quality, direction, and space as three distinct perceptual dimensions; also pinpoints where to attribute audible faults.