[Guy 13]

Hi all Audio Circle members…
For some of us that their mother tong is not English (I am sure that I am not the only one here), most of the abbreviations used in Audio Circle threads are Chinese for some of us… (Ha, ha…)
I tried to build up a list of all those abbreviations; but maybe some of you can add some more of those (New to us) abbreviations and words.
I manage to figure out (All by myself) the meaning of some, but I might be wrong, therefore, please fell free to make any necessary corrections.
Thanks and have a nice day.
Guy 13

AC = Audio Circle.
B+ : Relates to the high voltage tap in a tube amplifier. Usually it's the main tap and not the one for small signal stages. The term has its origins in battery powered tube receivers.
Buffer = Buffer:  some sort of circuit be it SS or Tube based that evens up impedance mismatches between the source output and the amplifier circuit, usually without gain but some do have optional gain.  This is to attempt to add one less component that might change the signal characteristics.  Seems to be more commonly used among the SET/Tubed crowd.
Cap = Capacitor.
DAC = Digital Analog Converter.
DIY = Do It Yourself.
DSD =
FYI = For Your Information.
IMO = In My Opinion.
Iron = Transformer.
K Ohms = Kilo - 1,000 Ohms
Megohms = 1,000,000 Ohms
Ma = Miliampere.
NFB: Negative feedback
OTL = Output Transformer Less.
OCL (Output CapacitorLess) - which distinguishes OTL designs lacking an output coupling capacitor (directly coupled)
DC-OTL - which denotes a directly coupled design; synonymous with OCL
AC-OTL - which denotes an AC (capacitively) coupled design
Z-OTL - which denotes a small class of variants
OB = Open baffle/box.
PCM =
PM = Personal message.
PP = Push Pull.
PPP = Push Pull parallel.
PS = Power supply.
SACD = Super Audio Compact Disc.
SE = Single Ended.
SEP = Single Ended Parallel.
SEP: Single Ended Parallel (Niteshade term?) As was noted..Single Ended Pentode may be more common use
SS = Solid state (Transistor)
uF = Micro Farad.
WPC = Watt Per Channel.
XTAL: Reference Crystal. May come up in discussions regarding processor timing i.e.: DAC's, etc..
YMMV = Your Milage May Vary.
Z = Impedance in Ohms.

[Bemopti123]

Add to it:

Sand:  SS.
Buffer:  some sort of circuit be it SS or Tube based that evens up impedance mismatches between the source output and the amplifier circuit, usually without gain but some do have optional gain.  This is to attempt to add one less component that might change the signal characteristics.  Seems to be more commonly used among the SET/Tubed crowd. 

[K Shep]

IMO =

SACD =

In my opinion

SACD=Super Audio CD (SACD) is a high-resolution, read-only optical audio disc format developed by Sony and Philips Electronics, the same companies that created the Compact Disc and the S/PDIF specification used in digital audio cables. SACD is designed to provide high-resolution audio in both stereo and surround sound modes. SACDs use an audio format called DSD in addition to an optional CD-compatible layer using traditional PCM.

[JohnR]

I thought SEP = single-ended pentode.

FWIW = for what's it worth

[Mariusz]

YMMV - your mileage may vary
OTL - Output TransformerLess (LINK to definition)
Cap - capacitor

[Niteshade]

Some technical ones:

B+ : Relates to the high voltage tap in a tube amplifier. Usually it's the main tap and not the one for small signal stages. The term has its origins in battery powered tube receivers.

Z : Impedance

NFB: Negative feedback

Iron: Transformers

XTAL: Reference Crystal. May come up in discussions regarding processor timing i.e.: DAC's, etc..

SEP: Single Ended Parallel (Niteshade term?) As was noted..Single Ended Pentode may be more common use.

PPP: Push Pull Parallel

[Niteshade]

I forgot the most important abbreviation of all: KISS

Keep It Simple Stupid   

Doctors have a Hippocratic Oath. Engineers need the KISS oath.

SCC (Supremely complicated crap) never impressed me because there is usually a better way to design it. 

[Guy 13]

I forgot the most important abbreviation of all: KISS

Keep It Simple Stupid   

Doctors have a Hippocratic Oath. Engineers need the KISS oath.

SCC (Supremely complicated crap) never impressed me because there is usually a better way to design it.

Hi Blair and all.
For many years I was involved in modifying German machinery (Gas & electric) to get them approved by local gas and electrical authorities and it always amazed me to see how the German always made everything so complicated.
For example, to light a 2 watts bulb, they went thru a relay, instead of going direct. Even my Volkwagen Passat had a vacuum pump with vacuum pistons for the door locking system, instead of a simple selenoid coil.
Someone told me that the German make everything complicated so that they look smart...
Guy 13.
Note : KISS
I must be stupid, because I always try to make everyhting SIMPLE !
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

[Niteshade]

Trying to make everything simple is smart and requires more talent than making something complex when it does not have to be. Granted, some machines have to be complex- but using simplification techniques will increase their value and performance.

[Bemopti123]

Hi Blair and all.
For many years I was involved in modifying German machinery (Gas & electric) to get them approved by local gas and electrical authorities and it always amazed me to see how the German always made everything so complicated.
For example, to light a 2 watts bulb, they went thru a relay, instead of going direct. Even my Volkwagen Passat had a vacuum pump with vacuum pistons for the door locking system, instead of a simple selenoid coil.
Someone told me that the German make everything complicated so that they look smart...
Guy 13.
Note : KISS
I must be stupid, because I always try to make everyhting SIMPLE !
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

As my now passed away stepfather used to say...

German tanks and other weapons of war were excellent on paper, but on the field, they were excellent when working, a nightmare when they broke down.  The Russians made simple, easy to fix tanks, not necessarily the best but the best for the situation. 

And he fought in the Russian front during WWII.