To what extent can headphones simulate a room?

[LIΟN]

Now that is what I call “immersive audio” and I have often done the same in a variety of settings; there is so much more to audio listening than “fidelity” and what you are describing adds “realism” and “verisimilitude” with degraded “fidelity” reminding me the is a lot of innovation ahead of us when it comes to the enjoyment of music as experience.

Hello, yes, I agree with you.
Of course, as long as the recording and setup aren’t done incorrectly, most of the characteristics I hear are captured in the impulse.
However, the "nuance" and "atmosphere" that can fool my brain into perceiving those characteristics are not fully reflected.
Visual elements also carry a significant amount of information that influences our perception.
I’ve experimented with intentionally adding realism in other ways as well.
For example, if we go to a café, have a cup of coffee, and read a book (though I don’t really read books myself), music often plays in the background of the café. While this experience is far from the precise sound of maintaining proper center and symmetry in a listening room, the feeling of steam rising from a freshly made cup of coffee, sunlight streaming in, and music softly coming from somewhere distant—perhaps behind me, or from the ceiling—is a perfect match for that atmosphere.
That’s why I sometimes intentionally listen using a BRIR with a non-symmetric ITD and a distant HRTF that places the sound somewhere behind or near the ceiling, rather than directly in front. (I also add a touch of rough early reflections.)
It feels quite café-like. It’s as if the music is playing from somewhere in the background, and it suits the "mood" I’m aiming for perfectly.

 

[dasdoing]

are they working so hard on it, or are they giving it up?