Warm sound, cold sound... whats it to you?

[E-Stat]

The question is how can you judge "accuracy" in determining warm, cold or neutral?...

Easy. Be involved at the recording venue at the time. I have had the good fortune to hear my local symphony record for Telarc on more than one occasion. I've spoken with the conductor and have some understanding of his goals.

A flat frequency response is paramount IMHO...

Except, of course when those measurements are made in an anechoic chamber which in no way resembles the environment in which the speakers are designed to work. A truly flat speaker under those circumstances will be intolerably bright.

...furthermore, that it is singly responsible for our perceptions of those qualities beyond the obvious timbral ones.

Our experience sure renders us with very different opinions. I hear significant differences in transparency and imaging in speakers that I find significant.

However, without the ability to control FR by placing "unwanted" devices in the signal path, many will spend too much time searching for their version of the Grail and too little time enjoying the music.

Or "B", use various sorts of room treatments to solve the primary issues of room nodes. I continue to be amazed at how good many old recordings really are. Occasionally, I'll use the HF contour provided with my 'stats to tone down some really old recordings that are a bit raw.

rw