These are just a couple different characteristics that I hear people use to describe a sound signature from audio equipment… So, for the education of some people newer to this side of the audio world, how would you explain what terms like “clean” “fun” “transparent” “detailed”? Also, are there any sets of terms that typically just don’t go together?
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Clean, I’d say means very low distortion and/or noise
Fun, typically I’d associate with V-shaped or W-shaped sound signatures. Emphasized Bass and/or treble.
Transparent and detailed often refers to treble response, but I also take it as fast decay of sounds and good separation. Transparent can also refer to low distortion as well.
I would say transparent typically is something more like it is revealing of the source, not really hiding anything. I don’t know if I would say transparent has to be fast or low distortion.
I was also thinking “clean” can refer to having “clean” transitions from mid-range to bass… etc…
A “Boomy” bassy headphone may not have a “clean” low-end.
“Dark”, I think, usually refers to a treble response that is heavily rolled-off, and can be considered a lot more “relaxing” to listen to.
“sibilant” is when treble gets annoying or too loud… so for terms that don’t really go together, it would be strange to say a headphone is both “Dark” and “sibilant”.
It can happen but not super often. Sibilance can be in the 5-10k area depending on the headphone. The 2.5-5k range can sometimes be described as sibilance but it’s more considered fatigue
I’ve read that fun is the term first used by long-time Head-Fi-er and now YouTuber Currawong to equate with V-shaped tuning. IOW, elevated bass and treble.
Not an accurate tuning but an enjoyable one for many.
Yeah, typically v shaped, u shaped, and w shaped are more fun signatures