The content reflected by the sound is often clear, specific and objective, but the sound quality and timbre are extremely abstract, subjective and inconvenient for communication. To do a good job in the evaluation of sound quality, the feeling needs to be agreed, summarized, and sublimated. Just as taste is established by convention, everyone says that sugar is sweet, so people call the sensation of eating sugar "sweet". When encountering this kind of taste, even if it is not sugar, everyone says it is sweet.
There are many terms for sound quality evaluation, and the richness is also complicated. We must grasp the main and key aspects and standardize them to facilitate our performance and communication.
1. Clear and turbid
The sound produced by the sound system should be clear, and the frequency response should be wide and uniform, especially in the middle and high frequencies, with proper reverberation, which can better distinguish the tone and position of the instrument, otherwise it is called turbidity.
2. Roundness and hairiness
Roundness refers to no distortion, especially the sound with minimal distortion in the middle and high frequencies. This kind of sound feels pleasant and pleasing. The bass is not muddy, the midrange is not blunt, and the treble is not piercing. Hair is opposite to roundness, the main feeling is that the sound is rough and there is audible distortion. If there is 5% distortion in the sound, the average person will feel hairy, and professionals can hear it up to 3%.
3. Plump and shriveled
The sound is thick and loud, the mid-to-high frequency is good, the reverberation is sufficient, and the transient response is good called fullness, and vice versa.
4. Bright and dark
Brightness means that on the basis of the balance of high, medium, and bass in the entire sound range, the middle and high tones are slightly prominent, and there are rich homophony, moderate reverberation, and low distortion. Darkness refers to a severe lack of mid-to-treble, loose bass, and poor resolution.
5. Broad and thin
The wide sound has good frequency response, bright treble, and sufficient bass. Thin sound often lacks bass or treble.
6. Dry and wet
Mainly refers to the reverberation effect. Short reverberation time and insufficient depth are manifested as dry. Excessive reverberation appears wet. The dryness or wetness of the sound is sometimes determined by the software, or it can be caused by the listening environment.
7. A sense of presence
The sound is bright, well diffused, and has a certain degree of reverberation, especially the sound is denser within 800~5000Hz, which is the closest to the effect of a concert hall, which is called a good sense of presence.