I wouldn't call it tinny, I would call the alternative 'muddy'. It's a much more pure tone than you would get from a 'normal' bass string (which is actually quite a complex piece by itself).
A pure treble note like from a computer wave form does not rattle like that, to my ears.
A normal piano is supposed to have impure frequencies, it's part of the timbre and what gives it warmth.
Like a chocolate or winey kind of muddy. Artistically I much prefer that.