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To save data to a digital storage medium, such as a hard drive.
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Early Reflections
The initial sound reflections from walls, floors and ceilings following a sound created in an acoustically reflective environment.
A-Type Plug
A domestic and semi-professional form of quarter-inch (6.35mm) jack plug. Available with either two or three terminals and referred to as TS (tip-sleeve 2-terminal) or TRS (tip-ring-sleeve 3-terminal). Widely used for electric instruments in an unbalanced mono format (TS), for stereo headphones in an unbalanced stereo format (TRS), and for balanced mono line-level connections on semi-pro equipment (also TRS).
Although similar in overall length and diamter to the professional B‑Type Plug, the two formats are not compatible. The large angular tip of the A-type plug will damage B-type sockets, while B-type plugs will not mate correctly with A-type sockets.
A miniature version of the A-type plug is also available called the Mini-jack, with a 3.5mm diameter and in both TS and TRS formats. Widely used for domestic headphone and input connections on consumer portable equipment, as well as for CV and gate connections on modular synthesizers.
B-Type Plug
A professional form of quarter-inch jack plug derived from the telecommunications industry where it is known as the PO316. It has three terminals (tip-ring-sleeve) and is widely used for balanced connections on professional patch bays. Although of similar overall length and diameter to the domestic A-type plug, it has a much smaller tip and is incompatible. A miniature version is available for high-density patchbays, called the TT or Bantam jack-plug.
Back Electret
A form of electrostatic or capacitor microphone.
dB / deciBel
The deciBel (dB) is a method of expressing the ratio between two quantities in a logarithmic fashion. Used when describing audio signal amplitudes because the logarithmic nature matches the logarithmic character of the human sense of hearing. (Detailed explanation available when title link clicked)
AES59
An AES standard which defines the use and pin-outs of 25-pin D-sub connectors for eight-channel balanced analogue audio travelling in a single direction in or out of a device, and an alternative bi-directional eight-channel digital interfacing (four AES3 threes in each direction). It conforms fully with the established Tascam interface standard. More info...
A-Weighting
An electrical filter which used when taking audio measurements of equipment, and designed to mimic the relative insensitivity of the human ear to high and low frequencies at low sound pressure levels (notionally 40 Phons or about 30dBA SPL). Essentially, the filter rolls-off the low frequencies below about 700Hz and the highs above about 10kHz. This form of weighting filter is often used when making measurements of low-level sounds, like the noise floor of a device. (See also C-Weighting and K-Weighting.)
K-Weighting
A form of electrical filter which is designed to mimic the relative sensitivity of the human ear to different frequencies in terms of pereceived loudness. It is broadly similar to the A-Weighting curve, except that it adds a shelf boost above 2kHz. This filter is an integral element of the ITU-R BS.1770 loudness measurement protocol. (See also A-Weighting and C-Weighting.)
C-Weighting
A form of electrical filter which is designed to mimic the relative sensitivity of the human ear to different frequencies at high sound pressure levels (notionally 100 Phons or about 87dBA SPL). Essentially, the filter rolls-off the low frequencies below about 20Hz and the highs above about 10kHz. This filtering is often used when making measurements of high-level sounds, such as when calibrating loudspeaker reference levels. (See also A-Weighting and K-Weighting.)
Transmission-Line
When the length of an electrical cable is shorter than about 10% of the wavelength of the signal it conveys, the voltage and current are effectively the same at all points along the cable. However, if the cable is longer than 10% of the wavelength, the signal can be considered to propogate as electromagnetic waves along the cable, and this condition is referred to as a 'transmission-line'.
Effects Return
An additional dedicated mixer input channel, usually with minimal facilities, designed to accommodate the output from an external effects unit. (cf. Aux Return)
Warmth
A subjective term used to describe sound, where the bass and low-mid frequencies have depth and where the high frequencies are smooth-sounding rather than being aggressive or fatiguing. Warm-sounding tube (valve) equipment may also exhibit some of the aspects of compression.
Graphic Equaliser
An form of equaliser whereby multiple narrow segments or bands of the audio spectrum are controlled by individual cut/boost faders. The name comes about because the fader positions provide a graphic representation of the EQ curve. The bandwidths of the filters are typically octave (10 faders) or 1/3 octave (31 faders).
Cabinet
The physical construction which encloses and supports the loudspeaker drive units. Usually built of wood or wood-composites (although other materials are often used including metal alloys and mineral composites). Cabinets can be ‘sealed’ (often referred to, misleadingly, as an 'infinite baffle') or ‘vented’ in various ways (ported, bass-reflex, ATL, transmission line), the precise design influencing the bass and time-domain characteristics.
Cabinet Resonance
Any box-like construction will resonate at one or more frequencies. In the case of a loudspeaker, such resonances are likely to be undesirable as they may obscure or interfere with the wanted sound from the drive units. As resonance also involves the storing and releaseing of energy over time, cabinet resonances can result in 'time smearing', causing a sharp impulsive sound like a 'thud' to be reproduced as a prolonged 'boom'. Cabinets are usually braced and damped internally to minimise resonances.
Capacitor
A passive, two-terminal electrical component which stores energy in the form of an electrostatic field. The terminals are attached to conductive ‘plates’ which are separated by a non-conductive dielectric. Capacitance is measured in Farads and the amount of capacitance depends upon the size of the plates and the spacing between them. If a voltage is applied across the terminals of a capacitor a static electric field develops across the dielectric, with positive charge collecting on one plate and negative charge on the other. Where the applied voltage is an alternating signal, a capacitor can be thought of as a form of AC resistance that reduces with increasing signal frequency. The old-fashioned term is a ‘condensor’.