Defining something we hear as "so real you can touch it" is the perfect description of what we all hope for in our high-end audio systems.
And what parameters impact the ability of a stereo system to reach this level of palpability? Pretty much all of them: frequency response, timing, placement, room, soundstage, depth, and size.
But here's the thing. We don't need every one of the aforementioned necessities to be perfect. In fact, it's the balance between these essentials that really matter more than hitting each out of the park.
The closer we get to achieving a good balance between all the elements in our stereo (often referred to as synergy), the closer we get to being able to reach out and touch the music.
It can be that real.
