(abbreviated D/A) A device that converts the digital data of digital audio into voltage levels that approximate the original analog audio.
A stereo microphone placement technique that places two cardioid microphones about 20cm apart and set outward from each other at a 90-degree angle to create a stereo image. Particularly for stereo miking at close ranges. (See also “Near-Coincident Miking.”)
An electrical component that enables easy electrical current flow in one direction but not the other. In the recording studio, these are commonly found in the vacuum tubes of tube amplifiers.
A small device that to converts an unbalanced, high-impedance speaker or instrument-level output to a balanced, low-impedance mic-level output. Frequently used in the signal path connecting electric instruments “directly” to the mixing console, as opposed to miking them acoustically. Also called “direct injection box” or “DI box.”
(abbreviated “DC“) Electrical current that flows in a single direction, as opposed to Alternating Current (AC), which flows in alternating directions. Many electronic devices run on DC, which is usually provided by battery power, USB power or an AC adapter plugged into the wall.
(abbreviated “DI”) The process of sending an electrical audio signal directly from an instrument to the mixing console through the use of electric pickups or direct boxes, as opposed to using a microphone.
An output available on some consoles which is fed directly from the preamplifier stage of the input, bypassing the channel strips and faders. This feature is often used to send a “dry” signal to a monitor mix or a recording device.
The sound that reaches a microphone or a listener’s ear without hitting or bouncing off any obstacles (as opposed to reflected or ambient sound).
1) In microphones, a term meaning the same thing as “Pick Up Pattern,” a description of the area in which a microphone is most sensitive to sounds. 2) In loudspeakers, it is the pattern of dispersion, the area that the sound from a speaker will evenly cover in a listening area.
The area that is effectively covered by the sound coming from a loudspeaker; specifically, the imaginary boundaries on either side of the speaker at which the sound level is 6 dB lower than if you were standing directly in front of the speaker. Each speaker has both a horizontal and vertical dispersion angle.
The technique of placing a microphone far from the sound source in order to pick up a combination of the direct and reflected sounds.
Refers to the deforming of a waveform at the output of a device as compared with the input, usually due to overload, creating a distorted or “dirty” signal. While electrical or audio distortion is typically unwanted and avoided, it is frequently used in controlled situations in audio to create certain desirable effects, particularly with electric guitars and amplifiers.
1) In audio settings: the use of two or more antennas in a wireless receiver system to prevent dropouts in the audio from a wireless microphone. 2) In other settings: the embracing of the uniqueness of all individuals.
The brand name of a manufacturer of noise reduction systems and other audio systems, to improve performance and fidelity of audio recording, playback, and transmission.
The phenomenon in which the human ear perceives a change in the frequency (pitch) of a sound while the sound source is in motion. As the sound source approaches, the sound waves travel a shorter distance to the ear, increasing the frequency of the waves and the pitch of the sound; as the sound source moves away, the sound waves must travel farther and farther, resulting in lower frequencies. A common example of this effect is an approaching emergency vehicle whose siren sounds higher as it approaches and lower after it passes. The Doppler Effect can be utilized in audio settings, for example, in the Leslie speaker in which an electric motor rotates the speakers inside the cabinet, constantly changing the distance between the sound source and the listener (or microphone) and creating its signature warbling vibrato effect.
