Perhaps you misunderstand what I said. Please allow me to clarify if I can.
I didn't say anything about a rolled off top end, bumped up bass or a more "punchy" sound. What I said was:
Not only that, but I said:
Auditory memory is exceedingly short; on the order of a fraction of a second to perhaps several seconds. For a listener to judge that a sound is "more accurate" or "more like the real thing" would take comparison to the
live sound vs. the playback all within the time frame of several seconds.
The vast majority of listeners to whom you refer do not have that luxury, not for guitar strings, for drum heads, or for any other large musical instrument.
Without any scientifically controlled comparison, I must deduce that what they call "more accurate" is not, in reality, more accurate at all. It is simply what they like, which I deem to be the same as "attractive".
There is nothing wrong with that. We all (I included) have our likes and dislikes.
But it's best to be frank and honest about that, and not hide behind the curtain of "accurate".
Jim