Understanding Audiophile Jargon

Have you ever wondered what terms like Frequency response and Soundstage mean when you read an audio product review? Well, this guide might help.

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The road to Audiophilia is littered with a countless number of esoteric terms. To be an insider in this exclusive club, often knowing the jargon is the only way to get access. Mids, highs, lows, flat response, reference gear – what do these mean? These terms are not as complicated or difficult to understand as you might think.   Read our guide to understanding audio terminology and pretty soon you’ll be talking like this: “Those high-impedance beyer dynamic cans I tried recently were difficult to drive and necessitated an amp, but the sound signature was devoid of any colouration; neither bright nor warm, just neutral. The sound staging was phenomenal too! And the entire frequency range was reproduced perfectly – from deep lows to extreme highs – the drivers were pristinely accurate”.   Give it a go, at least you start sounding like an audiophile, if not actually being one!   Impedance:   “Impedance” is the resistance against electrical flow. In the world of audio gear too, it means the same thing. Measured in Ohms, it basically denotes how difficult it is to move the speaker’s driver. By and large, high impedance systems require more power to drive them, hence requiring an amplifier to enhance the signal.