I’d really describe it as collection of basically the lowest level information in music, so the really small nuances within music that can have a pretty significant impact on how we perceive it. Weather it be spatial cues, small microdynamic (low level) volume changes, basically just low level information that contains some of the less apparent but also important aspects. The google definition does a good job imo “a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound.”
Well it’s likely to be a lot smaller than that, but how would you measure that, I’d sure hope with a full suite of time domain measurements? How do you actually make sense of those measurements to where it’s actually useful (which we aren’t even there yet for measuring source gear in general, at least in proving what’s actually “better”)? How would you ensure the ADC actually captures that accurately, make sure the ADC doesn’t shift things itself (as ADC do have a clear sound to them as well, as an example, one of the reasons why I think HDCD sounded better than some regular cd releases wasn’t because of it’s special process, but instead because it required the use of a pacific microsonics adc which was just a damn good adc in comparison to other adc that might have been used)? How do you factor in the aspect of how things interact with the rest of the chain as it would normally be used, as you can’t listen to components in isolation, but you listen as an entire chain? There’s a lot of variables, too many to really gain anything super useful from.
Again if it were that simple, the hobby would be incredibly different. To actually figure out something, you’d need a lot more advanced of a test than provided (what sort of test? I donno, I don’t measure stuff for a living), this has been an ongoing discussion for at least 50 years, it wouldn’t be if it was that simple to figure out. Another example, if it were that simple, would there really be such a wide swath of different opinions, options, and philosophies/ideologies surrounding let’s say dacs? Not really
That’s the best part of audio, in that it’s an inherently selfish thing, so if you don’t hear it, that’s only positives for you in that you don’t have to care. For why you don’t hear it could be a variety of reasons (level of critical listening and overall listening experience, the actual music and quality of said music, the differences within gear, among others), but fundamentally if you don’t really notice anything worthwhile, then it’s not worth investing in for yourself. But to dismiss all of it because you don’t immediately hear it is also ignorant of everything else out there, the truth is almost always in the middle, assuming the goal is even truth. But if it’s just down to personal listening and enjoyment, then that doesn’t really matter in the end lol, what matters more is your own experiences with things. Nothing really there to prove so to speak, but rather just share experiences and discuss with others, going to be different for everyone
Would really make the argument that most everything matters within audio, but the question more is to the extent of how much it actually matters to the individual, which is going to be different from person to person, different from setup to setup, and different from experience to experience, and so on. The goal in audio is really to find out what matters most to you based on your own experiences, and go from there. I personally value sources a lot, but at the same time can see why others wouldn’t, all depends on the surrounding aspects. Would say I found more value in them the farther I moved up and also grew as a listener, but then again I do nothing else with my life outside of audio, so I’d also say I’m more picky than others might be who have other more balanced and healthy priorities to where the difference isn’t as easily justifiable lol
