Understanding Audiophile vocabulary terms

Audiophile vocabulary can at times be like trying to understand Greek. Paul helps us understand the reasons for that and explains some of the terms.

[cadmanuk_aw]

I watch one of these vids, (and the Octave Records channel) everyday and always impressed on how well Paul explains everything; lovely friendly and 'warm' delivery that is always informative and 'inviting'. Love these channels.

[m.b.]

Paul ist the best example:
Good sound every day keeps the doctor away....
All the best, stay healthy , greetings from Germany.

[davidfetters]

Paul, you are the "Mister Rogers" of the Audiophile World!! I can't be the first or only one to think this way!!!

[NickP]

Soundstage, imaging, depth, warmth, detail, black background, etc., etc… think it may just take time and experience to be able to put the sounds one hears into audio terms and even the emotional response. I’m still learning after many years of being in this hobby. There’s a lot of things in life you just need to experience, because sometimes simple words are unable to explain it, but you did as good a job as possible of it, Paul.

[wildcat]

Most of the terms are pretty self explanatory if you just think about them for one moment. Veiled for example - when a bride wears a veil you can't see all the details of her face until she lifts the veil then all becomes clear. Transparent - like a clean sheet of glass compared to an opaque one etc etc

[JoeJ-]

Audiophile language, you just have to learn it yourself over years of experience in the field of audio equipment. Many terms are pretty self explanatory, but the ones that are more obscure just have to be experienced for yourself, using multiple sound demos in various situations and with various types of music, only then will you ever learn what all of the terms refer to. Keep on listening, that's all you can do to train your ears!

[stpd]

This is a very good video Paul, your comparison with wine is spot on, that's a great analogy.

[SpyderTracks]

Fairly new to audio and really struggled with the vernacular at first, it's amazing how quickly it starts to make sense though if you throw yourself into tech reviews and videos.

[NoEggu]

There is a disconnect between those that have access to all (or most) levels of audio equipment and those that do not.

Those that do are able to hear all of the differences in sound quality of both the components and the quality of the recordings.
Then when those folks make comparisons to other products and other recordings, they have a reference to that which they are speaking about.

For the rest of us, we mostly have between so-so equipment to some pretty good equipment. But only a small percentage have high-end equipment -- and even within those folks only a percentage of them set up the speakers properly, or use a room that is music friendly, or use room treatments, etc.

So if you have have not been exposed to the various types of sound qualities, then when you hear buzz words, you have no connection to having the experience of having heard it.

If you have sat down in a room with a great stereo system, professionally set up, and you listen to a verity of songs -- then, if you also have someone with you that knows all of the buzz words, they can express that song #1 sounded veiled, and song #2 sounded compressed, and song #3 sounded exciting, etc.

You will learn in a few minutes what could take forever by trying to figure out what people mean when you have never heard what they heard.

Professional, respected audio reviewers do not use obtuse language (there are always exceptions). They are on the other side of the coin, trying to convey sound with words, and trying to do so for people that have no experience with having ever heard the various types of sounds. Once a viewer experiences the various sound qualities, then they will see how telling those so-called "obtuse" descriptions are.

I am fortunate to have a local high-end store allow me to hear all of their rooms, and on more than one occasion. When I was stuck for words on describing what I liked and disliked, the personnel were able to frame it using "obtuse" words -- and it all clicked. They knew what I was trying to convey, and they gave me the language -- because they also heard it. I visit them from time-to-time, and if they are not busy, they welcome me to listen to whatever I want -- and they know that I am not making a purchase.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, a sonic picture is no different.

[donjohnstone]

I think your analogy about the way words are used to describe the flavour of a specific wine and the way words are often used to describe the sounds produced by a specific audio component, or combination of components, is a good one. Technical specs are often not able to describe in what way a piece, or combination, of audio equipment and/or the environment we are listening in, contributes to and affects the sound we hear.

[jpniemand]

What a great Video, i have been wondering about all of this myself as well

[bloodindark]

i love watching and listening to this guy1

[Thegargoyl]

Try describe color to someone, without them being able to see it.... It is the same.
Only way to descrive something as subjective as sound, is with emotions. Great video!

[PatDoyle]

I think a point that Paul left out, was the letter writer questioned why reviewers were not be more objective. Objectivity requires things like measurements but as Paul has addressed in other videos, telling you what the THD is or talking about DB levels, noise floor, etc. tells you absolutely nothing about what the equipment sounds like. This is why reviewers search for words to give the reader/viewer a feeling of what they experienced when they listened to the equipment. Try it yourself. Describe to us what your system sounds like without any of these “obtuse” words!

[georgekallinikos]

Being both an Audiophile and a wine connoisseur I understand when Paul says he doesn't understand the language used describing wine. All I can say is the more wine the better the descriptions of both audio and the taste of wine.

[MagicMaus]

Putting emotions into words in all their nuances. ‚Compressing‘ them verbally in order to pass them on as information, so that they ‚unfold‘ again in the recipient and evoke the same emotions, that we felt when writing them, is an art. It is not for nothing, that we call people who are particularly powerful at this – poets. And as we all know, they are few and far between. That is why we remember their names even after centuries.

In short – to describe sound is… difficult 😉

[phillipmorris]

hmm, now that you have both some very nice recording and playback gear, perhaps you could create some sound clips for us ? for example a few seconds of the warm, neutral and cool versions ect ..

[jkbrown]

Worst is that "experts" in the field develop variants of definitions. Or emphasize one element. "Ground" in electrical circuits is an example. Ground is a word used for a number of features, that use the "ground" wire, from the return path, the connection to earth, the safety bonding, etc.

[hugobloemers]

I think the wine analogy is a very good one. And to be honest, you don't have to be a particular wine connoisseur to get it. My feeling is the same with audio. I am not an over the top audiophile. But a lot of words we use are self explaining. Once you then get the concept of using words to describe sound (like warm, you only have to listen once to an old Grundig valve radio and you know for ever what warm sound is) it becomes easy to expand your vocabulary. Unless you jump directly from smartphone sound in to the audio hobby, then you have no frame of reference at all.

[ikromtamat]

I’m new to audiophile myself and these jargons had me confused as to how I’m going to choose the right equipment for my system.. Nonetheless, I started with a basic system based on recommendations and listening tests at nearby Hifi shops just ot understand better about all these vocubalary myself..