Glossary
Definition list of terms used throughout the site.
Index
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
- ampere (A)
- Abbreviated as 'amp'. The basic SI unit of electric current. Defined as the constant current that, when maintained in two parallel conductors of infinite length and negligible cross-section placed 1 metre apart in a vacuum, produces a force of 2 times 10 -7 newton per metre between them.
B
- bias
- The voltage applied to an electrode of an electronic component to establish suitable working conditions.
- binaural
- A system by which the transfer functions of the human hearing system are stored and/or reproduced, thus allowing the full 360° sound-field to be reproduced at the listeners eardrums.
C
D
- damping
- The reduction in amplitude of an oscillation or vibration.
- decibel (dB)
- A unit for comparing two currents, voltages or power levels.
- diffraction
- A deviation in the direction of a wave at the edge of an obstacle.
- Digital Audio Tape (DAT)
- Format for the storage of digital data. Most commonly available using a rotary-head mechanism (R-DAT) similar in principle to that of a video recorder.
- digital-effects processor
- Electronic device for manipulating audio frequency signals. Used to produce both simulations of real-life acoustic phenomena, and abstract/unnatural effects.
- Direct current (DC)
- Continuous electric current, flowing in one direction only.
E
- Effect balance
- The ratio between the dry, or unprocessed sound, and the wet, or processed output.
- electret
- Indicates a microphone capsule that operates by having an electrically charged diaphragm or back-plate (back-electret). In almost all case a back-electret capsule will give superior performance to that of the simpler and cheaper charged-diaphragm type.
F
G
- gain
-
1. Amplification factor. For amplifiers it is the ratio of the power output
to the input. Usually measured in dB.
- 2. When comparing microphones it is the ratio of the output signal level to that of an omnidirectional microphone in free space.
H
- handling-noise
- Vibration noise induced in a microphone by physical transmission through the microphone housing.
- hertz (Hz)
- SI unit of frequency. 1Hz = 1 cycle per second.
I
J
K
L
M
- milliamp (mA)
- One thousandth (10 -3 )of an ampere .
- millibar (mbar)
- A unit of atmospheric pressure equal to 10 -3 bar, 100 newtons per square metre or 0.7500617 millimetres of mercury. Used to describe the sensitivity of microphones.
- monophonic(s)
- More generally known as mono. Derives from the words mono meaning one or single, and phonics meaning the science of sound.
N
O
- ohm (symbol: the character 'omega')
- SI unit of electric resistance. Defined as the resistance between two points on a conductor when a constant potential difference of 1 volt between them produces a current of 1 ampere.
- omnidirectional
-
Deriving from the word omni meaning all or everywhere, literally means 'from
all directions'.
- For microphones this term means that the device is equally sensitive from any direction.
P
- parabolic microphone
- A highly directional microphone assembly. It operates by placing an omnidirectional microphone capsule at the focal point of a parabola. Parabolic microphones are most effective at mid- to high-frequencies.
- pre-amplifier
- Often abbreviated to 'pre-amp'. An electronic device or circuit designed to amplify low-level signals to a level suitable for feeding into a power-amplifier. It is the job of the pre-amp to provide precise high quality amplification, and often filtering or other optimisation of the signal prior to further operations.
- pre-delay time
- The time delay between the original sound input and the effected sound output.
Q
R
- reverberation
-
To be reflected many times.
- Simulation of the sound reflection pattern within an enclosed space. For example, a concert hall.
- reverberation time
- The time taken for the overall sound level of reflections to decay to 60dB below the initial level.
S
- signal-to-noise ratio
- The ratio of the wanted portion of a signal to the noise in the same signal. Usually expressed in dB 's.
- Size
- When referring to digital reverberation; size defines the virtual size of the digital box model used to generate the reverberation pattern.
- Spread
- In reverberation; increased spread values produce a more 'expansive' sound.
- stereophonic(s)
- More generally known as stereo. Derives from the Greek words stereo meaning solid, and phonics meaning the science of sound.
T
U
V
- Volt (V)
-
SI unit of electric potential. Defined as the potential difference between
two points
on a conductor carrying a current of one ampere, when the power dissipated
between these
points is 1 watt.
- VDC; Volts DC.
