Glossary of Terms
_____________________________________________________________
36
dBV
- Short for “decibels as referenced to voltage,” without regard for impedance; thus, one volt
equals one dBV.
DI
- Short for “Direct Inject,” a recording technique whereby the signal from a high-impedance
instrument such as electric guitar or bass is routed to a mixer or tape recorder input by means of a
“DI box,” which raises the signal to the correct voltage level at the right impedance.
Dynamic microphone
- A type of microphone that generates signal with the use of a very thin, light
diaphragm which moves in response to sound pressure. That motion in turn causes a voice coil
which is suspended in a magnetic field to move, generating a small electric current. Dynamic mics
are generally less expensive than condenser or ribbon mics and do not require external power to
operate.
Dynamic range -
The difference between the loudest sections of a piece of music and the softest
ones. The dynamic range of human hearing (that is, the difference between the very softest passages
we can discern and the very loudest ones we can tolerate) is considered to be approximately 120 dB.
Modern digital recording devices are able to match (or even exceed) that range.
EQ
- Short for “Equalization,” a circuit that allows selected frequency areas in an audio signal to be
cut or boosted.
FET –
An acronym for “Field Effect Transistor,” a type of solid-state semiconductor.
Gain reduction -
A synonym for compression or limiting.
Hi-Z
- Short for “High Impedance.” The 6176’s Hi-Z input allows direct connection of an instrument
such as electric guitar or bass via a standard unbalanced ¼" jack.
High shelving filter
- An equalizer circuit that cuts or boosts signal above a specified frequency, as
opposed to boosting or cutting on both sides of the frequency, which is what happens with a typical
peak/dip EQ.
Impedance
- A description of a circuit’s resistance to a signal, as measured in ohms or thousands of
ohms (K ohms). The symbol for ohm is
.
Knee
-
A compressor's
knee
determines whether the device will reach maximum gain reduction
quickly or slowly. A gradual transition is called "soft knee,” while a more rapid transition is called
“hard knee.” Soft knee compression and limiting is generally more desirable for musical
applications.
Limiter -
A compressor that operates at high compression ratios of 10:1 or higher.
Limiting -
A more severe form of compression, where a high compression ratio (of 10:1 or higher) is
being used.
Limiting Amplifier -
A synonym for a limiter/compressor.
Line level
- Refers to the voltages used by audio devices such as mixers, signal processors, tape
recorders, and DAWs. Professional audio systems typically utilize line level signals of +4 dBM (which
translates to 1.23 volts), while consumer and semiprofessional audio equipment typically utilize line
level signals of –10 dBV (which translates to 0.316 volts).
