Put on two recordings of a small group and listen past the instruments. One may place every player close to your ear. Another lets the air between them remain audible. Neither is automatically more honest; each asks you to imagine a different kind of room.
The bass often gives the space away first. Its note has an attack, a body, and then a tail that meets the walls. A close microphone can make the attack precise. A little distance can make the whole band feel connected. Headphones make these choices especially easy to hear.
We like to listen once for the tune and once for the room. On the second pass, follow the decay of a cymbal or the space around a piano chord. It is a simple way to hear the decisions behind the recording.