An AES standard that defines a method of evaluating the dynamic range performance of analogue-to-digital (A-D) and digital-to-analogue (D-A) converters.

An AES standard that defines the use of a specific form of AES3 signal purely for clocking purposes. Also known as DARS (Digital Audio Reference Signal).

An AES standard which defines the serial MADI interface (Multichannel Audio Digital Interface). MADi can convey either 56 or 64 channels via single coaxial or optical connections at base sample rates. A double-rate format with half the channel count is also available.

Acronym for Alesis Digital Audio Tape, referring to the company's popular range of digital eight-track tape machines released in the early 1990s. Now more commonly used as a shorthand term for the ADAT Lightpipe digital connection format.

A digital audio interface which passes two digital audio channels, plus embedded clocking, control and status data, with up to 24 bits per audio sample and supporting sample rates up to 384kHz.

Buffer — An electronic circuit designed to isolate the output of a source device from loading effects due to the input impedance of destination devices.

A system used to verify that a MIDI connection is working. It involves the sending device sending frequent short messages to the receiving device to reassure it that all is well. If these active sensing messages stop for any reason, then the receiving device will recognise a fault condition and switch off all notes. Not all MIDI devices support active sensing.

When creating artificial waveforms in a synthesizer, changes in the signal amplitude (or frequency) over time are controlled by an ‘envelope generator’ which typically has controls to adjust the Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release times, triggered by the pressing and subsequent release of a key on the keyboard.

A system for generating audio waveforms or sounds by combining basic waveforms or sampled sounds at different pitches, prior to further processing with filters and envelope shapers. The Hammond tonewheel organ was one of the first additive synthesizers, allowing harmonically complex waveforms to be created by combining tones of different pitches using 'harmonic drawbars'.

A widely used eight-channel optical digital audio interface developed by Alesis as a bespoke interface for the company's digital eight-track tape machines in the early 1990s (Alesis Digital Audio Tape). The interface transfers up to eight channels of 24-bit digital audio at base sample rates (44.1 or 48 kHz) via a single fibre-optic cable. This 'lightpipe' and its conenctors are physically identical to that used for the TOSlink optical S/PDIF stereo interface found on many digital consumer hi-fi devices. However, while the light-fibre itself can be used interchangeably for either format, the S/PDIF and ADAT interfaces are not compatible in any other way.