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Audio Karma Glossary

I would like to add a new definition to the category,if I may. After much thought,I believe I may have figured out a very common term:

SCROE: When the seller kicks himself in the nuts on pricing.

As this is a conceptual term, it should be considered gender neutral.
 
Showcast - the way we listened to streaming music 20 years ago
DAP - digital audio player, what 20 years ago was called MP3 player
Network Player or Network Streamer or just Streamer - a device that can play files or stream from wired or wirelessly connected devices or services
NAS - Network Attached Storage, used as a local source of files for Network Player
 
beans said:
I almost did it myself. I meant to say that I have never heard anyone else say what she would say. I don't hear it much now, but my dad would say it a lot: "it never ceases to amaze me". I'll have to start using that with my family. :D

And I would like to get the definition of 'kabuki'.
Click to expand...
A brand of high end japanese loudspeakers. They published an extensive procedure for optimizing speaker performance in their room settings. It is involved, comprehensive, and technically correct and after reading it in depth, certain to be effective when accomplished.
Hence the term "Kabukied" You can find some specifics by searching for "Kabuki" here on AK
 
OOP-Out of print

NM- near mint. I wouldn't add this, but selling on eBay, I was contacted several times by people asking what NM meant in my description of a record.
 
I didn't see this one in a search of this thread...

Noise Floor

Sweetwater.com gave this definition -
The noise floor of a device or system is the amount of noise generated by the device itself with no signal present, it is measured in decibels. All electronic devices will generate a certain amount of noise, even a piece of wire! Minimizing the noise floor leads to expanded dynamic range, and cleaner recordings or sound production
 
DEAFASABAT said:
A brand of high end japanese loudspeakers. They published an extensive procedure for optimizing speaker performance in their room settings. It is involved, comprehensive, and technically correct and after reading it in depth, certain to be effective when accomplished.
Hence the term "Kabukied" You can find some specifics by searching for "Kabuki" here on AK
Click to expand...

Uh, that would be a big no! The term Kabuki has absolutely nothing to do with anything concerning the "high end". It's a derogatory term applied to a number of mostly Japanese speakers. They can be simply described as usually having too many drivers in a cabinet too small for the woofer. They generally have no low bass but will play quite loud with not much power.

Five drivers in a three way speaker with a 12" woofer in a box much to small for it is a good example. They are known for having mediocre sound. OTOH they often have very nice cabinet work with wooden lattice grills. I've never heard the term applied to an speaker that wasn't made in Japan.

This doesn't mean there are no good Japanese speakers. The Sony SSM-x series is very well liked. And then, there's the Yamaha NS-1000. They have been quite popular in studios although many place a square of tissue in front of the tweeter. Some, me included, think the tweeter is a little hot.
 
OB's - open baffle speakers
H-frames - An open baffle cube with bass woofers mounted in the center of the open ended cube
SLOB - slot loaded open baffles with the bass woofer firing at the floor through a slot
Flat frame OB's - drivers mounted on a flat baffle
F.A.S.T. system - Full range Assisted Subwoofer Technology
 
Fresh foams - just slapped a pair of generic foams on these speakers in order to flip them quickly. Extra glue slathered everywhere, and oval shape foams are a bonus.
 
This thread is mostly forum jargon or spec info not a lot about how stuff sounds.

There are quite a few common terms that have specific meanings when it comes to talking about the sound of audio. Here is a list of commonly used terms that folks understand what they mean, in general.

Describing Sound - A Glossary | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org

There was a thread about not using the term Warm anymore but it is a very common term in audio. Unfortunately, folks that like their rig will use that term thinking what they have is a warm sound without knowing more of the terms.

Using these terms in this glossary, in addition to knowing all the acronyms in this thread will get folks understanding what others are saying when it comes to describing sound quality in an on-line forum.

As stated in another thread where I linked this glossary, there is a set of terms to describe electric guitar sounds which are different but again, well known and used regularly. They need different terms because some of the music-making is overdriving the electronics on purpose for specific sound characteristics. Different from us not wanting to distort our signals to the speakers.
 
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