I can understand that added harmonic distortion and gritty noise can give the illusion of greater reality and happy for people who go for this sound
But it's the digital section that's at fault
And it's either
1 designed in to improve the sound quality by the engineer and thus measures that way
2 sounds better that way and it's a happy design accident
3 it measures poorly cos it is poor SQ !
Only one of these three opinions shows deliberate design intent
If there is design intent for this measurement
Let's hear what it is ?
I think that is a simple request
IMHO it is not a simple request. I have no doubt that high-end products manipulate the signal in the good sense - either enhancing some cues or eliminating unfavorable parts of the signal in a way that it helps us to recreate perceptions that are normally lost in audio systems. There are always compromises - it is why we have such diversity in high-end. However this manipulation must create this feeling of approaching real and enjoyment systematically for a significant number of audiophiles.
For marketing purposes, most manufacturers will claim "neutrality" and "fidelity" to the "source" - each claims to be more neutral than his rival. Only a few, such as Pass or D'Agostino, openly admit that they manipulate the signal. Did you notice that we mostly debate the poor measuring equipment that sounds excellent? Curiously no one risks debating the excellent measuring equipment, showing great differences in sound quality, not explained by the measurements.
BTW, if obliged to pick one of your possibilities I would pick 1. designed in to improve the sound quality by the engineer and thus measures that way But would add - they are looking to a way of making it measure better without affecting the sound quality.