Moreover, how you "cognitively process sounds" is not fixed. It is highly impacted by numerous sources of bias. OP is probably experiencing that to a fairly strong degree in this thread because he want's there to be something significant to this. Double blind tests will reveal this to a large degree.dark water wrote: Is this what you are thinking? If so, then yes...
The original sound + electronic equipment + the acoustic environment (+ how you cognitively process the sensory information coming into your brain) will affect how you listen to a sound. This is also why your listening experiences will be different if any of those variables (and many more which I've probably missed out) change.
Even having a head cold can often give you a different listening experience!
This is how high end stereo equipment is sold, often subconsciously, even on the part of the seller. "Sir, with this system you will hear the soundstage open up and the orchestra will sound more alive and three dimensional." Yep, depending on how subject you are to suggestibility, that's exactly what you will "hear." That doesn't mean that what you perceive is what is arriving at your ears.
Here you go OP, I mentioned this earlier, it was just a google search away. No matter who you are, or what system you listen to this on, you will experience the effect. This is a fantastic example of how what we hear is not necessarily what is arriving at our ears. Note, I said hear, not "believe that we hear", because this form of bias, like many others, actually impacts what we perceive, that is, what our brain "hears."
In this video, what arrives at your ears is always the same in the examples, but you will not hear the same thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-lN8vWm3m0
We all get what you are trying to discuss, the problem isn't with us, the problem is that you don't know what you don't know. You need to read more and gain more experience with audio.