most adjectives are ambiguous because they are subjective and have idiosyncratic conotations.
for example, "bright". what does it mean ? i believe, it means a peak in the range 100hz to 3000hz ?
what does it mean to someone else ?
also, how does one translate a qualitative variable into a quantitative one ?
nouns and description are easier to understand.
another problem is that most adjectives are threshold based. this means that it depends upon someone's ability to perceive changes in "sound". if 2 listeners are reporting an experience of auditioning a stereo system, one may say "i hear thinness", while the other may disagree.
there is the issue of aural acuity and what constitutes thinness to each listener.
thus, there are too many variables involved in using an adjective which reduces the clarity of communication.
even a simple description such as " i hear an excess of treble harmonics" and is subjective and not necessarily replicable.
such a statement is preferable to "i hear brightness" .
