The joys of talking about improvements in audio performance

[Flint]

I have always been amused at the language people use to describe how the sound of something changes after altering some aspect of the audio reproduction system. We hear terms and phrases like:
- "As if a horse blanket has been lifted off the speaker" to describe the improvements a new power conditioner made to a system

...or...

- "Night and day..." change to the sound used to explain how painting a thin layer of green Sharpie marker ink along the edge of a CD.

...and...

- "Even my wife who was in the other room got angry that I purchased new speakers when she heard how much improvement the cable lifters added to my system's sound"

I thought of this today because I was reading an otherwise harmless announcement and semi-review of the Schiit Asgard 2 headphone amp when Steve Gutenberg referred to an added USB interface and upgrade analog section resulted in a "Radical" improvement in the sound.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57603 ... amplifier/

The term "radical" is pretty darn extreme, don't you think?

I like to say that audio nuts like to use very powerful language for most minute differences, or non-differences, and then use very bland and dull language for the most massive changes in sound. I recall a friend saying that an amp upgrade from one $5,000 stereo amp to some other $5,000+ stereo amp was like getting a whole new system while getting a whole new system (he bought new speakers and a new preamp at the same time) was just a little better than before.

What's your favorite hyperbolic language to describe barely detectable of completely undetectable improvements in sound?

 

[Orbison]

Re: The joys of talking about improvements in audio performa

The ever popular "it was like a veil had been lifted" and "as good or better than speakers costing a lot more"

Maybe not hyperbolic, but done to death and pretty much meaningless as a reference.

 

[jamhead]

Re: The joys of talking about improvements in audio performa

I can't say that I have one favorite....as I do enjoy being educated by audiophiles daily. Just this morning on the AVS site...Dynaudio owner's thread...the following was posted as a solution to "loose sounding female vocals" (I have no idea what that is...by the way):

"As far as the female vocals sounding a bit loose you may have a static buildup on your cables. I use Nordost eco3X to rid all my cables of static when I hear things I don't like that were never a problem in the past."

Now...virtually every day, I get educated on the finer aspects of audio by visiting that thread. As there are countless posts like this one.

In case you were wondering, here's the product:

http://www.nordost.com/67/eco-3

 

[jamhead]

Re: The joys of talking about improvements in audio performa

I guess I went off topic a little. One of my favorites is usually when someone purchases a new amp:

"The treble has more air" or "more presence".

Also, "the imaging snapped into place".

 

[Flint]

Re: The joys of talking about improvements in audio performa

Imaging "snapped" into place!?!?!?

That's a keeper.

 

[Deleted member 133]

Re: The joys of talking about improvements in audio performa

I have always been amused at the language people use to describe how the sound of something changes after altering some aspect of the audio reproduction system. We hear terms and phrases like:
- "As if a horse blanket has been lifted off the speaker" to describe the improvements a new power conditioner made to a system

...or...

- "Night and day..." change to the sound used to explain how painting a thin layer of green Sharpie marker ink along the edge of a CD.

...and...

- "Even my wife who was in the other room got angry that I purchased new speakers when she heard how much improvement the cable lifters added to my system's sound"

I thought of this today because I was reading an otherwise harmless announcement and semi-review of the Schiit Asgard 2 headphone amp when Steve Gutenberg referred to an added USB interface and upgrade analog section resulted in a "Radical" improvement in the sound.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57603 ... amplifier/

The term "radical" is pretty darn extreme, don't you think?

I like to say that audio nuts like to use very powerful language for most minute differences, or non-differences, and then use very bland and dull language for the most massive changes in sound. I recall a friend saying that an amp upgrade from one $5,000 stereo amp to some other $5,000+ stereo amp was like getting a whole new system while getting a whole new system (he bought new speakers and a new preamp at the same time) was just a little better than before.

What's your favorite hyperbolic language to describe barely detectable of completely undetectable improvements in sound?

When I see ANYTHING by Steve Guttenberg, warning bells start ringing - right through a steel wall draped across my screen!

Way back when (and I mean way way way back) I used to "trust" his reviews. Then he snapped. Went over a cliff. You name it. Found the holy snake oil and went from doing shots of it to mainstreaming.

At first I read with dismay.

Then I read for a laugh.

Now I simply don't read anything he writes.

'nuff said.

Jeff

 

[Rope]

Re: The joys of talking about improvements in audio performa

All professional reviewers have one thing in common, they're conflicted. That in itself makes it impossible to be objective.

Geoffery Morrison calls it like he sees it, perhaps that's why he has been let go by many A/V publications.

Rope

 

[malsackj]

Re: The joys of talking about improvements in audio performa

All professional reviewers have one thing in common, they're conflicted. That in itself makes it impossible to be objective.

Geoffery Morrison calls it like he sees it, perhaps that's why he has been let go by many A/V publications.

Rope

I feel that is so sad. So what the publications are saying to us is that they are not journalists but actually sales people out to make money for their publications and for the companies that pay the publications to run the adds to convince consumers into purchasing these items that have questionable truth.

 

[DIYer]

Re: The joys of talking about improvements in audio performa

Now I simply don't read anything he writes.

'nuff said.

Jeff

:think: On a similar boat as I am... viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5085&start=210#p127890

 

[DIYer]

Re: The joys of talking about improvements in audio performa

Most of what I've read have been covered already. Here's one, "wider soundstage" when changing cables.

 

[Botch]

Re: The joys of talking about improvements in audio performa

There wasn't a "quotable line" in the announcement, but the head of Monster (formerly Monster Cable) announced (in the new S&V) that their new "4K-ready" HDMI cables have been designed not only for the upcoming data transfer requirements of 4K-24 fps, but also for the upcoming "4K-60 fps" feeds, thereby becoming "obsolete-proof".
mmm-kay...

 

[TitaniumTroy]

Re: The joys of talking about improvements in audio performa

I like the ole fashion PRAT. As in pace, rhythm and timing, nothing ambiguous about any of those words, in regards to how a loudspeaker or system sounds. Or some pompous jerks, who say their equipment is not a "System" but a synergistic collection of components , that is far greater than the sum of it's parts. Or something to that effect.

I was in Indy several years ago, talking to a cabbie about stereo because Klipsch has it's HQ there. While not an audiophile, he had heard that cables were the most important link in a system even more than speakers. :angry-banghead: