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Your vote: Most Useless Audio Adjective

From what I've seen in online audio discussion forums such as Audiogon, words like warm, taut, wooly, and forward can upset even died in the wool audiophiles. While some may have a hard time getting their arms around them, most of the terms seem quite appropriate to me. You have to develop some list of terms in order to convey a description of a component's sonics, or to delineate it from another component.

However, I have noticed the description "self effacing" creeping into more and more reviews, and it flat out boggles my mind. Initially, it seemed to fit into the context it was being used - affordable or downright cheap gear, that was fun and lively. However, now that I've read the term being used to describe quite a serious piece of high end kit, the time has come to point out how ridiculous things are getting.

I had to laugh out loud thinking of the snootiest, most condescending audio dealer I know who was carrying this brand. Using the term "self effacing" with anything had to do with this guy was akin to describing Phyllis Diller a young, hot sex symbol.

What is your most useless audio adjective???
trelja

Showing 1 response by markphd

markphd
667 posts
 
I'm going to go against the views of the majority of posts in this thread on the word "mint".

If there are any coin collectors out there, you will know that "mint" is one of the most precise and exact descriptors that exists. It is very objective because it essentially describes physical appearance. There is less room for differences of opinion. On the other hand, most audio terms are subjective and relate to perceived sound rather than appearance. They are subject to much greater variability in interpretation. Thus they have less value unless you are familiar with the particular person who uses them and know their reference point.

The trouble that I have with "mint" is that most of the time it is not used accurately. The problem is the person, not the word.

I also have no trouble with "tubelike". I equate it with "fuzzy, warm and distorted due to even order harmonics,... but pleasing to the ear nonetheless". If that is not what is intended by the person using it, then maybe they should be more cognizant of the impressions they are leaving with people with the words they use.

One word which I see fairly often in reviews which I do have trouble getting my head around is "bloom".
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