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Monolith III User's Manual
AC
AC
AC
AC
AC. Abbreviation for alternating
current.
Active crossover
Active crossover
Active crossover
Active crossover
Active crossover. Uses active
devices (transistors, IC’s,
tubes) and some form of power
supply to operate.
Amplitude
Amplitude
Amplitude
Amplitude
Amplitude. The extreme range of a
signal. Usually measured from
the average to the extreme.
Arc
Arc
Arc
Arc
Arc. The visible sparks generated by
an electrical discharge.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth
Bandwidth
Bandwidth
Bandwidth. The range of frequencies
within a radiation band required
to transmit a particular signal.
Bass
Bass
Bass
Bass
Bass. The lowest frequencies of
sound.
Bi-Amplification
Bi-Amplification
Bi-Amplification
Bi-Amplification
Bi-Amplification. Uses an electronic
crossover or line-level passive
crossover and separate power
amplifiers for the high and low
frequency loudspeaker drivers.
Capacitance
Capacitance
Capacitance
Capacitance
Capacitance. That property of a
capacitor which determines how
much charge can be stored in it
for a given potential difference
between its terminals, measured
in farads, by the ratio of the
charge stored to the potential
difference.
Capacitor
Capacitor
Capacitor
Capacitor
Capacitor. A device consisting of two
or more conducting plates
separated from one another by
an insulating material and used
for storing an electrical charge.
Sometimes called a condenser.
Glossary
Clipping
Clipping
Clipping
Clipping
Clipping. Distortion of a signal by its
being chopped off. An overload
problem caused by pushing an
amplifier beyond its capabilities.
The flat-topped signal has high
levels of harmonic distortion
which creates heat in a loud-
speaker and is the major cause
of loudspeaker component
failure.
Crossover
Crossover
Crossover
Crossover
Crossover. An electrical circuit that
divides a full bandwidth signal
into the desired frequency bands
for the loudspeaker components.
dB (decibel)
dB (decibel)
dB (decibel)
dB (decibel)
dB (decibel). A numerical expression
of the relative loudness of a
sound. The difference in decibels
between two sounds is ten times
the common logarithm of the ratio
of their power levels.
DC
DC
DC
DC
DC. Abbreviation for direct current.
Diffraction
Diffraction
Diffraction
Diffraction
Diffraction. The breaking up of a
sound wave caused by some
type of mechanical interference
such as a cabinet edge, grill
frame, or other similar object.
Diaphragm
Diaphragm
Diaphragm
Diaphragm
Diaphragm. A thin flexible membrane
or cone that vibrates in response
to electrical signals to produce
sound waves.
Distortion
Distortion
Distortion
Distortion
Distortion. Usually referred to in
terms of total harmonic distortion
(THD) which is the percentage of
unwanted harmonics of the drive
signal present with the wanted
signal. Generally used to mean
any unwanted change introduced
by the device under question.
Driver
Driver
Driver
Driver
Driver. See transducer.
Dynamic Range
Dynamic Range
Dynamic Range
Dynamic Range
Dynamic Range. The range between
the quietest and the loudest
sounds a device can handle
(often quoted in dB).
Efficiency
Efficiency
Efficiency
Efficiency
Efficiency. The acoustic power
delivered for a given electrical
input. Often expressed as
decibels/watt/meter (dB/w/m).
ESL
ESL
ESL
ESL
ESL. Abbreviation for electrostatic
loudspeaker.
Headroom
Headroom
Headroom
Headroom
Headroom. The difference, in deci-
bels, between the peak and RMS
levels in program material.
Hybrid
Hybrid
Hybrid
Hybrid
Hybrid. A product created by the
marriage of two different tech-
nologies. Meant here as the
combination of a dynamic woofer
with an electrostatic transducer.
Hz (Hertz)
Hz (Hertz)
Hz (Hertz)
Hz (Hertz)
Hz (Hertz). Unit of frequency equiva-
lent to the number of cycles per
second.
Imaging
Imaging
Imaging
Imaging
Imaging. To make a representation or
imitation of the original sonic
event.
Impedance
Impedance
Impedance
Impedance
Impedance. The total opposition
offered by an electric circuit to the
flow of an alternating current of a
single frequency. It is a combina-
tion of resistance and reactance
and is measured in ohms.
Remember that a speaker’s
impedance changes with
frequency, it is not a constant