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
here's another ambiguous adjective, namely, "analog".

since there are so many turntables, arms and cartridges, it is hard to know what "analog" means. perhaps, someone could define the term.
Air!

Agreed.

The same guy uses "hot stamper", "presence", "deep and powerful", "detailed", "open", and a bunch of other superlatives for almost every ad.

Ironically, he probably hasn't heard more than 1 copy of each record for sale.
"These speakers only powered by the best electronics"

Do they have a memory for the next buyer ? What a pathetic laugh.