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
Alright, how are we supposed to sell anything without it being minty, tubelike and muscial! ...geez what a bunch of Prats! =)
BLISS has to be the stupidest word used to describe gear,there is a seller who no matter what he is selling use's the word BLISS to describe how we will feel if we would just buy the gear.
'liquid'....an ss amp that is TUBELIKE is good, but a tube amp that is TUBELIKE is bad...go figure....
I'll agree with "blows away"...way over used at all audio forums. "Liquid?"...dumb, "fast bass?"...what the heck is that?...if one bass driver cycles faster than another, aren't they playing at different cycles?

Dave