We know that the light from an electric light source is inherently no different than the light from the sun and the sky. All visible light sources vary only in the relative amounts of power at each wavelength. That however, can be important because it is visible and people react to visible stimuli. There are certainly strong personal preference factors associated with light and color just as, for example, when people select clothing, furniture or decorations for themselves and their surroundings.

There is no "best" color lamp nor is there any formal definition of "true" color. Each spectral distribution "distorts" object colors compared to another, whether the light comes from a natural source such as sunshine, north skylight, sunset, or electric sources such as incandescent, fluorescent and HID. The "right" color source for a given application depends on personal preferences, custom and, to a very large extent, an evaluation of the tradeoffs in efficiency, cost, and color rendition.