Glossary of Terms
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Ribbon microphone
- A type of microphone that works by loosely suspending a small element (usually
a corrugated strip of metal) in a strong magnetic field. This "ribbon" is moved by the motion of air
molecules and in doing so it cuts across the magnetic lines of flux, causing an electrical signal to be
generated. Ribbon microphones tend to be delicate and somewhat expensive, but often have very flat
frequency response.
Threshold -
A
term used to describe the level at which a compressor starts to work. Below the
threshold point, the volume of a signal is unchanged; above it, the volume is reduced.
In the 6176,
threshold is determined by the setting of the Input and Ratio controls.
Transformer
- An electronic component consisting of two or more coils of wire wound on a common
core of magnetically permeable material. Audio transformers operate on audible signal and are
designed to step voltages up and down and to send signal between microphones and line-level
devices such as mixing consoles, recorders, and DAWs.
Transient
- A relatively high volume pitchless sound impulse of extremely brief duration, such as a
pop. Consonants in singing and speech, and the attacks of musical instruments (particularly
percussive instruments), are examples of transients.
XLR
- A standard three-pin connector used by many audio devices, with pin 1 typically connected to
the shield of the cabling, thus providing ground. Pins 2 and 3 are used to carry audio signal, normally
in a balanced (out of phase) configuration.
