The Honest Audiophile's Terms and Definitions Guide

How does the Honest Audiophile define a term that he uses during his review?

Here is a guide for you in the Honest Audiophile's own words.

A.

Accuracy - The ability of the gear to reproduce the recording but it may or may not be an accurate presentation of the original.

Aggressive - Reproducing audio in an excessive forward and bright manner.

Airy - Reproducing audio in a free, open and fresh manner around instruments and vocalists. Airy is not restricted only to the upper treble frequencies but is audible in the entire frequency range.

Alive - Quality of sound reproduction that offers realistic immersion that the musicians and instruments are life-like.

Analytical - Excessively detailed reproduction.

Articulate - Clear and intelligible, reproduction of details; easy to follow an individual voice or instrument in a group.

Attack - The initial, energetic moment when an instrument is bowed, blown, struck, picked, strummed or plucked; see decay.

Audiophile - Someone who seeks accuracy, naturalism, realism, and emotional truth in reproduction.

Audio-Enthusiast - Someone who seeks excitement, novelty, features, and the thrill of gear exploration.

B.

Balance - Equality of reproduced sounds.

Bass Range - 20hz-300hz

Lower Bass — 20–80 Hz

Physical:

• Long wavelengths → minimal HRTF influence

• Body conduction

• Chest cavity resonance

• Skin vibration

Perceptual:

• Weight

• Atmosphere

• Room size

• Subwoofer realism

• Emotional impact

Mid Bass — 80–150 Hz

Physical:

• Beginning of head shadowing

• Eardrum impedance interactions

• Harmonic foundation of kick, bass guitar

Perceptual:

• Punch

• Warmth

• Groove

• Proximity cues

Upper Bass — 150–300 Hz

Physical:

• Transition into vocal fundamentals

• Room gain (in speakers)

• Masking of lower mids

Perceptual:

• Warmth vs mud

• Body of male vocals

• Thickness of instruments

Bleed - Undesirable merging of sounds between frequency ranges.

Bloat - (a) Overly enhanced size of detail image.

(b) Excessively warm or lush sounding.

Bloom - Excessive note weight or body.

Body - Realistically reproduced robust or round sound of an instrument or vocal.

Boomy - An exaggerated or enhanced sound that is dominant or overpowering the mix.

Boosted - Overly excessive emphasis.

Bright - Reproducing sound with a hard, crisp edge. Bright is the energy found in the presence region of 5k-8k. This is not related to the upper treble range. Live sound has brightness; elevating the treble range causes unnatural brightness.

C.

Clarity - Articulation of reproduced sound that is clear of distortion; sounds crystal clear; see transparent.

Clinical - Pristine clean and clear but uninvolving to the maximum; see sterile.

Coherent - On the same page or level from one end to the other of the frequency range; no obvious dips, valleys or peaks.

Cold - Upper treble is tipped to the maximum.

Compressed - Inability to reproduce sound in an open, airy manner which may cause finer details to disappear or lessen dramatically.

Congested - Deprived of clarity and transparency.

Control - Ability to reproduce sound that is detailed, defined and focused.

Crisp - Reproducing sound with a keen focus and detail; can be excessive and bothersome in the middle treble 10k-14k if boosted.

D.

Dark - Reproduced sound that is overly relaxed and warm.

Decay - The exiting of energy from when an instrument is bowed, blown, struck, picked, strummed or plucked; see attack.

Definition - Quality of a reproduced detail that is clearly defined with sharp, edged images. Enables the listener to distinguish between and/or follow the melodic lines of the individual voices and/or instruments; see focus, resolution.

Density - Reproducing a feeling that the note played by the original instrument and/or vocal is solid and has a firm foundation; see weight.

Depth - Ability to give an impression of the overall size of the stage from front to back.

Detail - Reproduced images of the original sound.

Diffuse - see muddled

Distortion - Audible signal changes that are unintentional; audible in a variety of manners, harsh, strident, fuzzy.

Dull - Reproduced sound that lacks soul; lifeless; boring; uninspired.

Dynamic - Reproduced sound that has punch and slam; most noticeable in the bass but can be found in the mid range and treble; see energy.

E.

Effortless - Ability to reproduce sounds without strain or effort.

Euphonic - An emphasis of pleasant richness instead of accurate reproduced sound.

Extension - The ability to reproduce sound to the far reaches of the audible frequency range.

Energy - Reproduced sound that gives an impression of life; action; movement.

F.

Fast - Impression of reaction time while reproducing sound; see slow

Flat - A frequency response that is uniform straight; clear of humps, dips, peaks and rises; gives the impression that all reproduced sound is on the same level. Flat sound is not the same as neutral or natural.

Focus - see Definition and Resolution

Forward - Reproducing sound closer to the listener then recorded.

Fuzzy - Reproduced sound that has a coarse edged texture.

G.

Glare - Reproduced sound that is excessively hard edge to low/mid treble.

Glassy - Reproduced sound that is extremely bright; this is only found in the upper mid range/presence range 5k-8k.

Grainy - Reproduced sound that has an excessively coarse edged texture; more coarse than fuzzy.

Gritty - Reproduced sound that has an excessively harsh, coarse edged texture; more coarse then both fuzzy and grainy.

H.

Harsh - Reproduced sound that has an abrasive; annoyingly unpleasant. Elevating mid and upper treble causes harshness to appear.

Hazy - Reproduced sound that has a mildly coarse edged texture; not as coarse as fuzzy.

Heavy - Excessive note density/weight; unnatural reproduction of instruments and/or vocals; see hefty.

Hefty - see heavy

Hot - Extremely boosted treble.

I.

Imaging - Ability to reproduce locations and size of instruments and/or vocals within a soundstage.

Impact - Reproduction of a concussive force that delivers momentary visceral pressure; this is noticeable in all of the frequency range with varying degree.

Involving - Ability to bring the musical performance to the listener and create an emotional response.

Isolation - (a) Ability to single out a single reproduced sound from the rest.

(b) Ability of blocking outside noises from the listeners ears.

J.

K.

L.

Laid-Back - Reproduced sound that is an overly warm, somewhat recessed sound signature that is pleasing and non-fatiguing; relaxed.

Layering - Reproduction of the various levels and rows within a soundstage; ability to reproduce the impression of levels, rows or distance between instruments and vocalists.

Lean - Reproduced sound that has a lack of bass emphasis; lightweight note density and/or weight

Lifeless - Reproduced sound that lacks conviction, focus and involvement; see dull.

Light - Reproduced sound that is similar to lean but includes boosted treble.

Linear - Reproduced sound that is balanced, extended and cohesive.

Loose - Reproduced sound that lacks control and definition; most noticeable in bass but is found in the entire frequency range.

Lush - Reproduced sound that is enjoyably warm and rich; luxurious.

M.

Mid Range - 300hz-8k

Lower Mids — 300 Hz to 1 kHz

Physical:

• Torso reflections

• Head diffraction

• Vocal chest resonance

Perceptual:

• Body of vocals

• Warmth

• Distance cues

• Naturalness

Main Mids — 1 kHz to 5 kHz

Physical:

• Pinna flare

• Concha resonance

• Ear canal ¼‑wave resonance

• Speech formants

Perceptual:

• Clarity

• Intelligibility

• Texture

• Emotional expression

• Instrument identity

Upper Mids (Presence) — 5 kHz to 8 kHz

Physical:

• Pinna notches

• Spectral cues for elevation

• Consonant energy

Perceptual:

• Bite

• Attack

• Forwardness

• Presence

• Spatial definition

Muddy - Reproduced sound that lacks definition and control; see congested

Muffled - Reproduced sound that gives the impression it is hidden behind a wall or a hand.

Muddled - Reproduced sound that is presented in a confused, disorderly way; this is usually found within the soundstage.

N.

Natural - Realism; reproduced sound that matches every day, real life audio; see sterile.

Neutral - Reproduced sound that is free of coloration that is not natural; see natural; see uncolored.

O.

One-Note - An exaggerated note that overpowers and dominates the rest of the frequency range; most noticeable in bass but can be found throughout the entire frequency range.

Open - Ability to reproduce sound with an impression of no limitations; see natural.

P.

Pinched - Reproduced sound that is overly compressed, congested and lacks ability to reveal an open sound; see compressed, see congested, see open.

Pin-Point - Ability to portray details within the soundstage that give the impression they are focused and targeted; see specific.

Polite - Reproduced sound that is non-fatiguing.

Q.

R.

Realistic - Ability to reproduce sound with the impression that it is live.

Recessed - Reproduced sound that emits an impression of being dipped or concave.

Resolution - see Definition and Focus

Revealing - Ability to reproduce sound and details in an accurate and focused manner.

Rumble - Reproduced sound that gives the impression of physical vibration or shake in the bass range.

S.

Seamless - Impression that the soundstage, imaging is without interruption or gaps.

Separation - Ability of gear to reproduce accurate, natural space between instruments, vocalists and details; see soundstage, imaging, layering, airy.

Sheen - Reproduced sound, in the treble range, that has a slight brilliance without being overbearing.

Shout - Instrument or vocalist that is presented in a way that they are talking loudly, shouting at you, not blending accurately with rest of the mix

Shrill - Reproduced sound, in the mid and treble ranges, that is piercing or stabbing; see strident.

Sibilance - Reproduced sound that overemphasizes “s” and “t” sounds; this is heard in the presence range 5k-8k only.

Sizzle - Reproduced sound that emphasizes the presence range 5k-8k in an accurate, natural manner; overemphasis will cause sibilance.

Slam see impact

Slow - Impression of reaction time while reproducing sound; see fast

Smear - Reproduced sound that lacks definition and refinement.

Soundstage - Ability to accurately portray size, shape and acoustical cues of the original recording with the impression that the instruments and vocals are present.

Spatial Awareness - Ability to deliver imaging in a convincing, realistic and natural soundstage.

Specific - see pin-point

Speed - The pace of definition and focus, defined as “fast” or “slow”.

Sterile - Reproduced sound that is presented in a tidy, clean, transparent manner but lacks natural reproduction; see clinical; see natural.

Strained - Reproduced sound that gives the impression of being stretched to the limit, giving all it’s got even when it isn’t being stressed; see effortless.

Strident - see shrill

Subtle - Reproduced sound that is slight, barely audible.

Synergy - Interaction of products that provides a pleasurable audio experience.

T.

Texture - Reproduced sound that gives the impression that the instrument or vocalist is solid or whole.

Thick - Reproduced sound that has an over abundance of weight; see weight; see density.

Thin - Reproduced sound that lacks weight; see weight; see density.

Tight - Reproduced sound that is controlled but gives the impression of freedom; see control.

Timbre - Reproduction of recognizable characteristics of an instrument, allows the listener to determine or differentiate between instruments or to follow them throughout a musical piece.

Tone - The actual note of the music being played; is the reproduced note in key and in tune.

Tonal Quality - The quality of the reproduced note; sounds accurate and correct.

Tracking - Ability of a product to follow and portray the audio cues within the recording.

Transparent - see clarity

Treble Range - 8k-20k

Lower Treble — 8 kHz to 10 kHz

Physical:

• Pinna notch #2

• Canal resonances

• Anti‑resonances

Perceptual:

• Sibilance

• Crispness

• Cymbal definition

• Sharpness

Main Treble — 10 kHz to 14 kHz

Physical:

• High‑order harmonics

• Diffraction

• Canal length variation

Perceptual:

• Air

• Sparkle

• Micro‑detail

• Room impression

Upper Treble — 14 kHz to 20 kHz

Physical:

• Very short wavelengths

• Highly individual canal resonances

• Minimal pinna involvement

Perceptual:

• Airiness

• Sense of openness

• “Hi‑fi sheen”

• Spatial expansion

U.

Uncolored - see neutral; see natural

Uninvolving - Product that fails to impress, puts the listener in a state of boredom; see involving.

V.

Veiled - Reproduced sound that has a deficiency of detail and focus.

W.

Warm - Reproduced sound that is natural and neutral but not overly relaxed; see dark.

Weight - see density

Width - Ability to give an impression of the overall size of the stage from side to side.

X.

Y.

Z.

NOTE: This is loosely based on the Stereophile Audio Glossary, as that is the audio glossary that I have used as a reference for my audio journey over the years. https://www.stereophile.com/content/sounds-audio-glossary-glossary-d-e