Glossary of Audio Technical terms.

Ribbon Loudspeakers by Newform Research.

GLOSSARY OF AUDIO TECHNICAL TERMS

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Distortion

Any undesirable change or error in the reproduction of sound that alters the original signal.

Dome Tweeter

A high frequency speaker with a dome-shaped diaphragm.

Driver

A loudspeaker unit, consisting of the electromagnetic components of a speaker, typically a magnet and voice coil that actually converts electrical energy into sound. - cone, dome, planar

Dynamic range

The range of sound intensity a system can reproduce without compressing or distorting the signal.

Efficiency rating

The loudspeaker parameter that shows the level of sound output when measured at a prescribed distance with a standard level of electrical energy fed into the speaker.

Electronic Crossover

Uses active circuitry to send signals to appropriate drivers. Usually more efficient than passive crossovers, however requires additional amplifiers to drive each frequency band.-- Digital, passive, electronic

Enclosure

The box that contains the driver(s).

Equalizer

Electronic device used to boost or attenuate certain frequencies. "EQ"

Filter

Any electrical circuit or mechanical device that removes or attenuates energy at certain frequencies. See Crossover Network.

Flat Response

The faithful reproduction of an audio signal; specifically, the variations in output level of less than 1dB above or below a median level over the audio spectrum.

Frequency

The number of waves (or cycles) arriving at or passing a point in one second, expressed in hertz (Hz).

Frequency Response

The frequency range to which a system, or any part of it, can respond.

Full-range

A speaker designed to reproduce all or most of the sound spectrum.

Harmonic

The multiple frequencies of a given sound, created by the interaction of signal waveforms.

Harmonic Distortion

Harmonics artificially added by an electrical circuit or speaker, and are generally undesirable. It is expressed as a percentage of the original signal. See THD.

Hertz (Hz)

A measurement of the frequency of sound vibration. One hertz is equal to one cycle per second. The hertz is named for H.R. Hertz, a German physicist. Also a good place to rent a car when you're on vacation.

High-pass Filter

An electric circuit that passes high frequencies but blocks low ones. See Band-pass and Low-pass filters.

Horn

A speaker design using its own funnel shaped conduit to amplify, disperse, or modify the sounds generated by the internal diaphragm of the speaker.

Hum

Audio noise that has a steady low frequency pitch often caused by interference from the AC power line.

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