Do you think that noise can ever be acceptable even desirable in the same way grain can in film photography?

Perhaps I should clarify, I am talking about the digital noise present in a photo taken with a high iso or long shutter speed.

Actually since "noise" at high ISO's can be equated to over modulation of an electronic signal, then the answer is probably no ... at least not in inexpensive cameras Here is why ...

When a small 15 watt amplifier is played with the "volume" turned all the way up, clipping and muddy bass is very evident to the listeners ear. With enough money and careful research, one can buy a 200 watt amplifier and some "good" speakers and play music at nearly ear splitting sound levels without much distortion (clipping and muddy base), but the difference in cost is exponential.

If you have noticed, only recently have the engineers been able to produce digital sensors that have the ability to produce nearly noise free images at high ISO's, but again this feature is only available in cameras costing over $5,000. As technology progresses, the "noise" at high ISO settings will become controllable at a far lower cost, but for now and maybe not for five or ten years, those superior sensors are going to be only found on professional grade DSLR's.

So, the answer may be no, noise is too random to be pleasing to the eye and yes, with the advancement of technology, the noise so evident in P&S cameras shooting at ISO's of over 800 ISO will become a distant memory.

If you have seen the 20x24 inch adverts of motorcycle racing by Nikon, you will have noticed that at least the sensor in the Nikon D3 as been able to overcome obvious noise at 6400 ISO settings.

For now, at the sensor level, pixel density and special algorithms and other electronic design magic found on the CMOS sensors of the D3, D700 and Canon 1Ds, Mark III are the foundation of such noise reduction at the most basic level.

Don't look for such advancements with point and shoot camera's for a long time ... the pixel density is just too high and the pixels to small on such tiny sensors ... not without some kind of brand new, ground breaking technology

Aphex twin and so many others have used the sound of vinyl on a track to make it sound like it is coming off a record. Even listening to the crackle before a song kicks in can make you feel happy even before the records started.
The band Space (remember them?!) were always using a bit of crackle, as well as the Gorillaz and more recently Pendulum uses it on a track-I think it is Planet Orion.
So yeah, you can compare it to grain on a picture. It is a type of nostalgia and, for me at least, still gives me goosebumps!

When I trained in the 1960s the old plate camera wielding brigade,who taught me were really against grain and it wasn't until the likes of Bailey made Tri-X trendy that people began to realise the beauty of this "mistake".No doubt in the future someone will look back with nostalgia at this querk of early digital imaging.

If converted to B&W. I suppose it could be an interesting effect, depending on the subject matter and execution. Usually I consider noise to be a detracting nuisance. Film grain is less objectionable, and often film is chosen for its grainy qualities. Noise does not seem as elegant.

interesting. Listen to Aphex Twin. Window licker. rhythmic disruptions of noise. Sound is temporal, as in passes from one second to the next. vision is timeless. tough to explain with my limited knowledge. but noise can be pleasing. In a photo noise aka grain can cause a nice fade look. It can also be pleasing in old recordings.

Why not? I had one portrait I took backlit in the shade which was hopelessly underexposed. Photomanipulated on the computer, it gave an almost pastel effect that was very pleasing.

It all depends of what your purpose is.
Sometimes I use "noise" to make a photo less ... picturesque !

I don't see why not.

noise = audible
film (photography) = visible

in what way does noise relate to something visible?

are you actually asking whether noise can be desirable in an audible setting in the same way that grain can be desirable in a visual one?

in my opinion, yes it can. CD's offer an almost perfect sound quality. but i still prefer the sound mu vinyl gives me, complete with all the hiss