industry

glossary
of
terms
12/05
Glossary of Terms_________________________________

Absorption: The properties of a material composition to convert sound energy

into heat, thereby reducing the amount of sound energy that can be reflected.

Acoustics: The scientific study of sound

Acoustical-Suspension Enclosure: An enclosure where the box is completely

sealed. The internal air pressure operates as a controlling force over the
motion of the driver acting as a spring to provide the majority of the restoring
force to the cone. See also Air-suspension Enclosure and Sealed
Enclosure.

Active: An audio device that requires electrical power to function.

Active Crossover: Active crossover uses active components (IC's, transistors,

vacuum tubes) and are installed before the power amplifier.

Air-Suspension Enclosure: See Acoustical-Suspension Enclosure.

Alternating Current (AC): A type of electrical current that reverses its direction
at a regular interval, and can be represented by a sine wave. AC can employ
capacitors and inductors in electronic circuitry, allowing for a wide range of
applications.

Ambiance: The acoustical properties of a listening environment, including

reverberation and background noise.

Amperage: The amount of current flowing in a circuit

Amplifier: Converts a low-power signal from a pre-amplifier into a high-power

signal needed to drive a loudspeaker

Amplitude: The strength of a signal or sound, regardless of its frequency.

Usually expressed in decibels or SPL.

Anechoic: An environment where reflection of sound has been largely

eliminated, allowing a precise measurement of a loudspeaker’s output.

Attenuate: A reduction in the level of a signal

Balance: The condition of a stereo system in which the audio signal is balanced
across left and right channels.

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Bandpass Enclosure: An enclosure type that uses a sealed enclosure system
with the addition of a ported section that acts as an acoustic filter in front of
the driver. The resulting system usually provides a lower cutoff frequency, the
tradeoff being a larger enclosure.

Bandpass Filter: A filter that transmits a certain frequency band and attenuates
frequencies that lie on both sides of that band.

Bandwidth: A specific range of frequencies. For example a typical subwoofer

band is 20 Hz to 100 Hz

Basket: The frame of a loudspeaker that supports all of its components.

Bass: Loosely defined as 20-250Hz. Or the lower portion of human hearings

more often “felt” than heard.

Bass-Reflex Enclosure: An enclosure that has a port or vent that allows energy
produced by the rear of the speaker to reinforce the output of the front of the
speaker. Also called Ported or Vented.

Bi-Amplification: The use of two amplifiers or two channels of an amplifier to

power the midbass and tweeter separately.

Boomy: An expression meaning excessive bass or poorly damped bass

response.

Boost: To raise the level of a signal or to increase in amplitude.

Bottoming: The collision involving the moving parts of a driver, as in a voice coil
striking the bump plate. This often results from excessive power or improper
enclosure construction.

Bridged: The condition that exists when a load is connected across two active
channels that are fed with the same input signal, but one of the channels is
operated out-of-phase with respect to the other.

Capacitance: The ability of a conductor or dielectric to store electric charge.

The property of a device to oppose changes in voltage due to energy stored
in its electrostatic field. Expressed in Farads.

Capacitor: A component that has capacitance. An electrical circuit element

used to store charge temporarily, consisting in general of two metallic plates
separated by a dielectric. A crossover component that allows high
frequencies to pass but filters out lower ones.

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Channel: One half of the electrical and acoustical requirement for a basic stereo
system. When two channels are reproduced correctly, the stereo effect will
reproduce images across a soundstage.

Circuit: Any closed path followed by electrical current. Also a configuration of

electrically or electro-magnetically connected devices.

Circuit Breaker: A re-settable protection device that amounts to a fuse that

never needs replacement.

Clipping: The audible distortion that occurs when continuous power capabilities
are exceeded. Also when the audio signal is represented by a “square wave”
vs. a normal sine wave.

Compression: An effect in loudspeakers caused by the heating of the voice coil

under high power use, that results in sensitivity loss, distortion, and frequency
response changes. All speakers suffer from compression effects at some
point.

Cone: The sound-making part of a dynamic loudspeaker that moves back and
forth in the air.

Crossover: An electronic network for dividing sound into high and low
frequencies for reproduction by woofers, tweeters, etc. A crossover for a two-
way system would consist of a high-pass filter that sends the high frequencies
to the tweeter, and a low-pass filter that sends the low frequencies to the
woofer. For a three-way system a band-pass filter is added to send the
middle frequencies to the midrange speaker.

Crossover Point: The frequency at which a crossover delivers equal power to

each of its outputs.

Current: The rate of flow of electricity. The unit of measure is the Ampere.
Abbreviated as “I”.

Cut: A reduction in the level or amplitude of a signal.

Damping: Damping is the dissipation of vibratory energy in solid media and

structures with time or distance. It is analogous to the absorption of sound in
air.

Damping Factor: The amplifiers ability to control the motion of the speaker after
the audio signal has disappeared.

dB: The Bel and the Decibel define power differences. (1 decibel is 1/10th of a
Bel) A logarithmic scale. A 3 dB increase means twice as much power; a 6

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 dB increase means 4 times as much. A 60 dB increase is one-million times as
much power.

Decade: A measurement equal to 10:1 (an Octave is 2:1). The difference

between 500Hz and 5000Hz is a decade.

Diffraction: Diffraction will occur any time a wave encounters an obstacle, or

abrupt change in a surface.

Dome: A convex speaker shape normally used for tweeters.

Driver: Another word for an individual loudspeaker, as in subwoofer or tweeter.

Dual-Reflex Bandpass: A Bandpass enclosure that has ported front and rear
chambers.

Dual-Voice Coil: A particular speaker design that uses separate voice coils
connected to the same speaker cone.

Dynamic Range: The difference between the maximum signal level and the
noise floor.

Efficiency: The ratio of energy input vs. energy output expressed as a raw
percentage but can be converted to dB. In loudspeakers it is the percentage
of electrical power converted into sound.

Electricity: The force created by the movement of electrons in a charged

system.

Enclosure: A mechanical device designed to improve the performance of a

loudspeaker.

Even-hung: Describes when a voice coil is equal the height of the magnet gap.

Fidelity: The term used to express an audio system’s ability to accurately

reproduce the sound of the original recording.

Filter: An active or passive circuit or device designed to block or attenuate a

certain frequency or range of frequencies.

Flat: A response that is relatively linear from the lowest to the highest audible
frequencies.

Frequency: Simply the number of events or cycles that occur in a time period,
usually one second. Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz), which are the
number of cycles per second.

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Frequency Response: How well a circuit or system transmits the frequencies
that are applied to it.

fs: The free air resonant frequency of a loudspeaker or passive radiator.

Full Range: Containing or able to handle all the frequencies normally

experienced by us humans

Fuse: A simple device that limits excessive current flow in a circuit and therefore
protects the alternator, battery, electrical wiring, and the components. The
current flow is disrupted when the fuse element melts and opens the circuit.

Gain: The difference in the amplitude of two signals. This is commonly used to
compare the input and output of an electronic component.

Ground: Earth, or the term given to the return path for current flow with a
relative potential of zero. In most vehicles this is defined as chassis ground.

Hangover: The symptoms of headache and nausea caused by excessive

consumption of alcohol. Often seen in top dog installers before 10am. The
tendency of a loudspeaker to continue to move after the audio signal has
stopped due to poor damping. Also called Overhang.

Hertz: Abbreviated “Hz” The measure that is used to indicate frequency in cycles
per second.

High Pass: A filter that allows frequencies above its cutoff to pass freely but
attenuates the frequencies below the cutoff at a predetermined increment.

Impedance: Resistance to the flow of alternating current.

Inductor: Usually a coil of wire that may or may not be placed in a magnetic
field. It stores energy in the magnetic field and can be used to alter AC
signals.

Infinite Baffle: An enclosure consisting of a board or baffle that isolates the rear
energy of the driver from energy from the front of driver to prevent
cancellation. In theory to be categorized as an infinite baffle the volume of
the enclosure would have to infinite in volume, but in practice a value larger
than the VAS of the driver works effectively.

Kilohertz: 1 kilohertz is equal to 1000 hertz or 1000 cycles per second.

Formally referred to as kilocycles.

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Linear: If the input is increased by a factor of, say 1.2, then the output increases
by a factor of 1.2, no more and no less. This is the ideal for all parts of a
sound system, since no distortion is introduced.

Line level: The signal output of a deck or component that is usually not run
through the speaker amplifier stages. Therefore the signal is much cleaner
and more suitable for amplification.

Load: Whatever is connected to the output of an amplifier or electronic circuit.

Loudspeaker: Converts electrical energy to sound energy. This can mean an

entire system such as a woofer, midrange, tweeter, crossover network, and
enclosure. It can also mean an individual speaker driver such as a woofer.

Low pass Filter: A filter that passes low frequencies and attenuates high
frequencies.

Midbass: The range of frequencies just above the subwoofer and just below the
midrange.

Midrange: The range of frequencies that lie between midbass and the high
frequencies. Loosely defined as the frequency range from 200Hz-2,000Hz.

Mms: The mechanical mass of the driver diaphragm assembly including the air
load.

Mute: Silent, attenuate.

Narrowband: Encompassing a narrow range of frequencies. Opposite of

wideband.

Noise: An unwanted electrical signal or sound.

Noise Floor: The noise power generated by a device in the absence of any
audio signal.

Octave: A doubling or halving of a frequency.

Ohm: The basic unit of electrical resistance (often expressed as Ω.)

Ohms Law: The mathematical relationship between the Voltage (V), Current (I),
and Resistance (R). This law is states that V = I x R, I = V/R, R = V/I.

Order: The numerical filter classification that is determined by counting the total
number of capacitor and inductors sections in the filter. The order
describes how fast the filter will attenuate the signal in the stopband.

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Out of Phase: A condition that occurs when a speaker has a phase difference
of a 180 degrees. The more accurate term though less often used is “out of
polarity”.

Overhung: When the voice coil is taller than the height of the magnet gap.

Parallel: A circuit topology that connects multiple circuits to the same

connectors. In a parallel circuit, the voltage is the same across each element,
but the current in each element depends on the impedance of the element.

Parametric Equalizer: A type of equalizer that permits the center frequency, the
filter shape, and the amplitude of each band to be varied.

Passive: The type of circuitry that does not require external power, but rather
uses only basic circuit elements such as capacitors, inductors, and resistors.

Passive Radiator: A passive device that looks like a driver without a motor
structure. It acts as a port when coupled with an active driver.

Phase: The time relationship between two AC (alternating current) signals.

Pink noise: Pink noise is random noise where the power is spread uniformly
over a specific spectrum of frequencies, such as 20-20,000 Hz for audio.

Polarity: The direction or polarization of a signal entering or leaving a

component. For instance, if a positive signal is applied to the input of a
device, and that device emits a positive signal, then it is said to be a non-
inverting device. Polarity merely describes a direction and should not be
confused with phase.

Ported: See Bass-Reflex Enclosure

Q: A measure of the sharpness of the resonant peak in the frequency response

of a resonant system.

Qtc: In enclosure design is it used as a gauge of the resonant magnification of

the subwoofer/enclosure combination.

Qes: The electrical component of Qts.

Qms: The mechanical component of Qts.

Qts: The total Q of the woofer at fs (in free air), taking into consideration all of
the drivers resistances.

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Resistance: The opposition to the flow of electricity without capacitive and
inductive characteristics. Measured in Ohms.

Resistor: An electrical device that resists the flow of electrical current. The
higher the value of resistance (measured in Ohms) the lower the current it
allows to pass through.

Resonance: In general, a motion or electrical or other response at a frequency

where a system responds much more strongly than at other frequencies. The
higher the system Q, the narrower the frequency band where the response is
strong.

Reverberation: The echoes in a room that one hears after the original sound
stops. The usual measure of reverberation time, denoted RT60, is equal to the
time it takes the sound to decay 60 dB after the sound source stops, in
seconds.

RMS: Literally means Root Mean Square, or continuous average relating to

output or input.

Sensitivity: The ratio of voltage to work produced. Sensitivity should always be

rated to relative to voltage, but is often confused with efficiency.

Series: A method of wiring so that the components are hooked up end to end.
So that the current is the same across all components but the voltage across
each device may differ.

Slew rate: A characteristic of amplifiers. The maximum rate of change of output

voltage in response to a square-wave input, usually measured in volts per
microsecond. The higher the better

Slope: The rate of rise or fall of a filter, usually expressed in a number of dB per
octave.

Soundstage: The psychoacoustic effect that takes place when two or more
channels of program material acoustically interact with our human brains.

Spider: The corrugated fabric used to center the voice coil and provides part of
restoring force to the driver. When coupled with the surround these parts
form the suspension of the driver.

SPL: Sound Pressure Level a measured value of the pressure of sound

expressed in dB.

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Thiele-Small Parameters: Loudspeaker analysis parameters. Term named
after Neville Thiele and Richard Small who defined the parameters and the
system to apply them.

Treble: The range of hearing which encompasses the highest audible sounds.
Loosely defined as the range of 2,000 Hertz to 20,000 Hertz

Tweeter: A speaker designed to reproduce only the high frequencies such as

3500 Hz and above.

Tuning Frequency: The frequency at which the port resonates in a given

enclosure volume.

Vas: Volume of air having the same compliance as the speakers suspension.

Vented Enclosure: See Bass-Reflex Enclosure.

Voice Coil: The part of a speaker that consists of a small coil of small wire
positioned very close to a permanent magnetic field. When electrical current
is fed into the voice coil, the coil will either move forward or backward due to
its interaction with the magnetic field. When the cone of a speaker is fastened
to the voice coil, the cone will move.

Volt: Basic unit of potential difference. Abbreviated as “V” or “E”.

Watt: The basic unit of power. From Ohm’s Law we learn that power (measured
in watts) dissipated by a load is equal to the voltage placed across that load
multiplied by the current flowing through that load.

Wavelength: The distance between two crests (or valleys) of a sound wave
usually denoted by the symbol l. Varies from 56 feet for a 20 Hz tone to 0.7
inches for a 20 kHz tone. In general the wavelength in inches is equal to
13,543 divided by the frequency in Hz.

Xmax: The maximum linear excursion of a driver.

Xmech: The maximum mechanical excursion of the woofer.

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