ground loop – A condition that exists in an
improper grounding situation, whereby a DC
current differential exists between one signal
path and another, resulting in a 50Hz or 60Hz
hum.
headroom – The difference between nominal
operating level and peak clipping in an audio
system.
hertz – The unit of measure for frequency of
oscillation, equal to 1 cycle per second.
Abbreviated Hz. kHz is an abbreviation for
kilohertz, or 1000 Hertz.
impedance – The opposition of current flow
in a circuit.
knee – A sharp bend in an EQ response
curve. Also used in describing dynamic
processors.
line level – A signal level that is referenced to
either +4dB (professional) of –10dB (semi-
pro/consumer).
mastering – The processing and transfer of a
final, sequenced or mixed audio tape to a
medium for duplication.
mixdown – The process in which the
separate audio tracks of a multiple track
recording are combined, balanced, and
routed through the recording console. During
mixdown, volume, tone, special effects and
spatial positioning can be artistically set by
the engineer to create a stereo or surround
sound mix that is then recorded to a master
recording device, such as a DAT recorder.
monaural – Confined to a signal channel.
One microphone is a mono pickup; many
microphones mixed to one channel is a mono
mix. Several mono sources, however, can be
panned into a stereo (or at least two-channel)
mix.
mono – short for monaural.
noise – Unwanted sounds. Hum, buzz or
hiss; could be crosstalk or digital hiss.
noise floor – The residual level of noise in
any system. The lower the noise floor and the
higher the headroom, the more usable
dynamic range a system has.
overload – The distortion that occurs when
an applied signal exceeds a system’s
maximum input level.
parametric EQ – A parametric EQ allows
continuous control of each of the three
primary EQ parameters (frequency, gain and
bandwidth) independently.
passive EQ - A filter topology similar to early
equalizer designs (such as pultec) where
passive components (capacitors) are only used
to filter the signal. In a passive EQ, amplifiers are
only used as make-up gain devices. The
capacitors used to filter the signal are not
incorporated in the active feedback stage of the
circuit. Passive EQ’s have a distinctively smooth
and musical sound.
peak amplitude – The maximum instantaneous
amplitude of a signal.
Page 39
Avalon Vt-747sp Operation Manual
Glossary
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