- 3D Sound:Three
dimensional sound. Conventional stereo places sound anywhere between the
left and right speakers. But, with true 3-D Sound, the sound can be
positioned anywhere in a semi-sphere surrounding the listener: all points
right, left, to the rear, above, below, or in front of the listener.
- AC-3: A high
quality multi-channel digital audio code developed by Dolby. Also known as
Dolby Digital.
- Amplifier: A
device that outputs a stronger signal than that which it received. In
terms of audio, this signal is output over all or a portion of the audio
range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
- Amplitude: The
strength of an audio signal. The unit that measures changes of amplitude
is the decibel.
- Analog: An
audio signal where the information stream is made up of continuous and
varied voltage.
- Analog-to-digital converter:A circuit that converts analog signal amplitudes into binary
numbers.
- Audio Input:
The audio signal fed into a system or the jack through which the audio
signal is fed into a system.
- AUX: Auxiliary Input Jack, An additional jack allowing the blending of a second audio signal
into your speaker system.
- CD player:
Compact disc player
- Center Channel:
A channel used to localize sound between the front left and front right
speakers.
- Channel: The
circuit path of an information signal.
- Channel Separation: In a stereo system or its components, a testing standard used to
determine the level of freedom from crosstalk between two channels of a
stereo system.
- Circuit: The
path for an electrical current flow. It can also be a set or group of
electrical components and conductors designed to perform a particular
task.
- Conductor (Electrical): Any substance that allows electrons to flow easily through it.
- Configuration:
The total combination of your hardware components and the software
settings that instruct those components to communicate with one another.
- Connectivity:
Refers to a device抯 ability to
link with other devices. Good connectivity makes a product very versatile,
allowing its connection and use with many other devices.
- Crossover Frequency: The frequency at which an audio signal starts to transfer from one
output to another. For example, a crossover circuit would be used to
filter out high frequencies from the signal sent to the subwoofer.
- Crosstalk:
Undesirable leakage of a signal from one channel into another, decreasing
of channel separation.
- Decibel: 1/10
of a Bel. In audio terms it is the measurement of the amount of perceived
volume change. One decibel is the smallest amount of volume change that is
perceived by an average listener. It can be either a gain or a loss of
amplitude.
- Digital: In
terms of audio signals, the production or conversion of an analog signal
into binary notation.
- Digital Amplification: Boosting the strength of an audio signal in digital rather than
analog form. This is a desirable method because it is more efficient,
requiring less power to produce the same output levels than that of
earlier technologies.
- Digital Audio:
Audio signals which have been translated into binary notation.
- Digital Interconnects: Any connection that is used to connect digital inputs to digital
outputs. A USB connection is an example of a digital interconnect.
- Digital-to-analog converter: A circuit that converts binary numbers into an analog signal.
- Distortion: An
undesirable or unintentional change to an audio signal.
- Dolby: The
manufacturer (and trademark) of audio noise reduction systems and other
systems that improve the performance and fidelity of audio recording,
transmission, and playback.
- Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound: The standard implementation for Dolby AC3 encoding is a 5.1
channel arrangement: Five full bandwidth channels (left, center, right,
left surround, right surround) plus a low frequency subwoofer channel.
AC-3 is also known as Dolby Digital.
- Dolby AC-3 encoding: Used to record audio products while using Dolby AC-3 compression
-- a high quality multi-channel digital audio code developed by Dolby that
combines many channels as a single entity to enable much lower data rates
than other types of multi-channel coders, yet, with no sacrifice in
quality.
- Dolby Digital:
Dolby AC-3 coding.
- Dolby Digital decoding: Used by systems designed to interpret AC-3 signals.
- Driver: The
actual loudspeaker, which vibrates to reproduce sound.
- DVD: Stands for
Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc, it's a later generation
CD-Rom that holds up to 4.7 GB (gigabytes) of data, long enough to store
(and play) a full length movie.
- E.I.D.C.: Electric Intelligent Distortion Control,
new technology used with Edifier MP300 portable speaker.
- Electricity:
The science associated with the flow of electrons.
- Electromagnet:
A device that produces a magnetic field when an electric current is
applied.
- EQ Circuitry: A
fixed circuit controlling the frequency response of a signal passing
through it.
- Equalizer: A
user-adjustable device or circuit that modifies the frequency response of
a signal passing through it.
- Four-channel:
Surround sound without a center speaker.
- Frequency: The
number of repetitions per second of any cycled (repeated) process.
- Frequency Response: The range where a consistent or constant level (in decibels) is
found after testing a speaker system with sine waves. Also, the statement
of the results of this measurement, expressed in decibels of the change in
amplitude within the constant frequency amplitude range, for example: +/-
3 dB from 35 Hz to 20 kHz. Generally, a wide range with low variation in
amplitude in that range is desirable.
- Gaming: Speaker
system setup utilizes additional inputs designed for gaming system
outputs. In addition, a gaming mode option may be available, taking
advantage of 4 channel surround sound output from gaming sound cards. From
the dual inputs, the left front and right front signals are sent to their
respective satellites, and the left rear and right rear channels are sent
to the rear satellites. In this particular setup, the Subwoofer receives
information from both the inputs (the 4 channels).
- Hertz:
Frequency measurement in cycles per second.
- Impulse: A very
short burst of energy.
- Input Sensitivity: The level of sine wave input signal (in Volts RMS) which, when applied
to the input terminals of the amplifier of the system, will
produce the targeted system output power (in Watts RMS)
at the rated THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) %.
- Jack: A socket
that accepts a plug. It is always a female connection.
- Low Frequency:
Generally refers to bass or low pitch. In audio or sound wave terms any
frequency lower than about 160 Hz.
- MDF: Stands for Medium Density Fiberboard,
this type of wood is made from wood fibers glued under heat
and pressure that helps lessen resonation.
- Mode: One of
the ways you can operate a device or a circuit, if more than one way
exists.
- Mode Selector:
The device used to make the mode choices allowed.
- MP3: MP3, or
MPEG3, is short for Moving Pictures Expert Group Layer III. It is a
compression format for audio files. It makes large audio files much
smaller, and therefore making them easier to download, copy and store.
- Multimedia:
Literally, many media, this term refers the ability of computers to
present text, video, graphics, animation and sound in an integrated way,
and in addition give the user control over all this data. Devices that
support or enhance this computer functionality bear the same description,
such as multimedia speaker systems.
- Optical Input:
The jack or receptacle that receives and decodes digital audio signals
transmitted through a fiber optic connection.
- Port: An
important acoustic component of a speaker system, a space inside the
speaker enclosure that is connected to the outside air that enhances bass
efficiency.
- Power Handling:
The maximum power you can send to a loudspeaker system without overloading
or damaging it.
- Power Output:
The greatest amount of wattage that a power amplifier can send to its
loudspeaker.
- RMS:
Root-mean-square. For a sine wave, RMS voltage is measured as the peak to
peak voltage divided by 2 then multiplied by 0.707. In essence, RMS
calculations are developed from continuous power output measurements to
each channel of a speaker system. Each channel's RMS is
then added together to develop the Total System RMS power measurement.
This measurement contrasts with the term Total System Power, measured on
initial bursts of power output at the beginning of the measurement period,
and which is of very short duration. Because of the inherent qualities of
power amplifiers, these initial bursts often achieve amplitudes of much
greater dimension than those sustained results on which RMS is calculated.
Total System Power measurements tend to be much higher than RMS. RMS
measures overall, realistic, sustained system power.
- S/PDIF:
Sony/Phillips Digital Interface Format. A set of standards for sending and
receiving digital audio signals, including the connectors used by the
input and output digital audio devices.
- Satellite: A
loudspeaker unit (driver and surrounding cabinet) designed to operate with
a separate subwoofer.
- Separation (Channel Separation): In a stereo system or its components, a testing standard used to
determine the level of freedom from crosstalk between two channels of a
stereo system. A signal is sent through one channel (the driven channel)
and not the other (the un-driven channel). The test results are reported
as decibels of the signal level from the un-driven channel in relationship
to the decibels of the signal level of the driven channel.
- Signal: A data
stream that comes from electrical impulses or electromagnetic waves.
- Signal to Noise Ratio: Measured in decibels, this is the difference between the signal
strength a system reproduces compared to the strength or amplitude of its
background noise.
- Sound Card:
Common on modern computer systems, an expansion board that allows a
computer to manipulate and to output sound. A speaker system connected to
the sound card will reproduce and play the sound for the listener.
- SPL: Sound
pressure level. The measurement of the amplitude (loudness) of sound. The
unit of measurement is the decibel.
- Stereo: A
minimum of two-channel audio reproduction where the recorded sounds where
the listener can perceive sounds positioned to the left and right.
- Subwoofer: A
separate loudspeaker unit that reproduces very low bass.
- THD: Total Harmonic
Distortion. A measurement of the total of all the harmonics
introduced by nonlinear (uneven levels of) distortion in
a device. This measurement is indicated as a percentage
of the strength of the fundamental (lowest level).
- THX & Lucasfilm THX?Certification: THX Certified products must meet an exclusive
set of performance standards established by Lucasfilm THX?which
is a division of the world-renowned film production company,
Lucasfilm Ltd. These THX performance standards were originally
developed in response to George Lucas?personal desire to
insure that the original Star Wars? soundtracks,
heard in the cinema, matched those created on the sound
stage. Later, these standards were extended to encompass
Home Theater systems and recently adapted to the specialized
needs of multi-channel surround reproduction from movies
and games, on DVD, played back on a PC-based multimedia
system. All multimedia products seeking THX Certification
must meet these rigorous performance requirements before
they can carry the THX logo, which is your guarantee that
a THX Certified multimedia product will give you performance
and reliability as defined and explained above.
- Total System Power: The combined power measurements of the initial bursts of power from
a sine wave signal applied to each audio channel of a speaker
system at the beginning of the measurement period, and which
is of very short duration. Because of the inherent qualities
of power amplifiers, these initial bursts often achieve
amplitudes of much greater dimension than those obtained
from sustained application of the signal through the system.
Total System Power is based on short bursts of unsustainable
power, as opposed to the sustained results on which RMS
is calculated. Total System Power measurements tend to be
much higher than RMS. RMS measures overall, realistic, sustained
system power.
- USB: Short for
Universal Serial Bus, USB is a standard for connecting computers
to peripheral devices. It supports data transfer rates of
480 Mbps (480 million bits per second). Most new computers
sold since 1999 come equipped with at least one USB port.
A single USB port can be used to connect up to 127 peripheral
devices, such as mice, modems, keyboards and speaker systems,
making USB a very flexible and appealing device interface.
Has USB 1.0 and USB 2.0
- Watt: The unit
used to measure power
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