Car Audio Glossary of Terms List

Ampere
1. Electrical charge that indicates how much base current flows in an electrical circuit. 2. The amount of current that flows in a circuit if we apply the voltage of 1 volt and the resistance of 1 Ohm.

Amplifier
1. A device that increases the amplitude of the signal applied to its input. 2. A device that generates a large output signal having a small signal at its input.

Width
Measuring the extent of a signal measured in V.

Real-time spectrum analyzer
A device on a display that can display the intensity of the various constituents frequency audio spectrum. To detect the acoustic environment using a microphone and pink noise as a signal. With him, you can greatly increase the performance of any system, especially in no time

Active
Any device that requires food to function.

Netherlands
The frequency range of serious, usually its upper limit is 100Hz.

Bass Reflex
A speaker system that using a pipe or a given port, allows the air inside the case to reinforce the main issue of the speaker. May be also called vented or ported

BL (measured in Tesla meters).
The product of the magnetic flux of a speaker for the height of the coil of the same.

Capacity
A component in which the impedance decreases with increasing frequency.

It 'also called the condenser. It is normally used in the crossover as high-pass filter. Can be used to store energy.

Conductor A material that resists the passage of current.

Constant Q / Q-constant
Equalization designed to maintain constant amplitude to vary the bandwidth. E 'used on a third octave equalizer so as not to interfere in the rules on adjacent frequencies.

Alternating current (AC)
A current produced when electrons move in one direction and then in another. Musical signal of any kind is home alternating (AC)

Short circuit
Circuit where the input supply is grounded before or within the circuit itself. This causes a strong current flow resulting in overheating and burns if not protected by the power fuses

Active crossover
A single product, consists of several subparts of cuts designed to operate in frequency. The entire frequency spectrum is divided into several parts, and sent through excitement or mitigation amplifiers. The electronic crossover debut amplifiers.

Crossover
See & Passive Crossover Active crossover

dB
The abbreviation of Decibel. See Decibel.

Decay
The period in which a spectrum analyzer used for measurement. A rapid decay is used to display the musical signal, a slow decay is preferred for more accurate measurements.


Decibel (dB Abbreviated)
the unit of measure to describe the intensity of the signal or sound level. Work on a logarithmic scale, and an increase of 3 dB means a doubling, an increase of 6 dB, an increase of four times, etc.. E '1 / 10 of a Bel

Distortion
Made any difference to the shape of the original signal, after it has passed through the sound system.

DSM (Discrete Surface Mount)
And 'process of assembly of components onto a circuit board electronics. SMD are used for fast robot, the components are much smaller, and you can help save space, or increase the thickness of the slopes to improve the efficiency of the circuit.

Dual-Bandwidth A characteristic of AudioControl equalizers. This circuit provides a more accurate adjustment in the most critical, that of the low frequencies.

The difference in dynamics between the signal Decibel lowest and the highest that a system or a piece of music can play. In the case of a complete system is the difference between background noise and maximum power output from the amplifier. In the case of a registration, is the difference between background noise and the maximum amount of signal that the medium used can accept.

Overall efficiency as efficiency means the ratio between the total energy applied and the energy produced. E 'expressed in percentage. Un'altoparlante normally has a very low efficiency, which ranges from 1% to 3%. It means that between 97% and 99% of power is dissipated in heat. Amplifier for use in automobiles, usually have an efficiency of 50%.

EQ is' an improper name for defining a multi-tone control, which can do several things, including acoustic here to correct deficiencies. However 30 years you still call it that.

F3 (measured in Hz). The frequency at which the power of the system is halved, and also indicates the minimum reproducible

Damping factor of an amplifier's ability to control the load on the stop signal. Normally, the higher this value, the better. The damping factor is calculated by dividing the work load (speaker impedance) with the output impedance of the amplifier. This means that an amplifier that works at 4 ohms will have a more restrained and controlled bass amplifier instead of the same work is done at 2 Ohms

Fb (measured in Hz). The frequency of agreement of a sound box in a bass reflex.

Bandpass
A filter (active or passive) that allows the passage only of certain frequencies, easing the previous and following.

Center Frequency The frequency in a signal which has the minimum or maximum peak intensity.

Fuse
A system of electrical protection. In practice consists of a wire section that blends well calculated passes on him when a current higher than predetermined.

Chart
This equalizer has various settings such as fixed frequency, but variables such as amplitude. Its name the devas that many equalizers have sliders, which once adjusted graphically display the curve set.

Groundloops
Indicate when two or more electronic components are connected to the masses with different potentials. When this happens, the slight difference in potential between the two units generates annoying hum and noise.

Hertz (Hz)
L 'unit of frequency. One Hertz is equal to one cycle of a half-wave per second

Impedance (measured in ohms).
The resistance which opposes the passage of a conductor AC

Infrasonic
Sometimes called subsonic. Are the frequencies ranging from 1Hz to 20Hz are inaudible to human ears but cause also accentuated the movement of the subwoofer. These frequencies agree very well amplifiers, which must work to reproduce frequencies inaudible. Are generated by low frequency oscillations, such as walking on a wooden floor during a recording, or are given dall'acoustic feedback, or poor recordings. Can damage the subwoofer.

Bandwidth
1. Area of frequencies at -3 dB points of a bandpass filter. 2. Working range of an electronic component.

The (Measured millihenri, MH).
The electrical inductance of the coil loudspeaker.

LED Light-Emitting Diode. A small semiconductor capable of emitting light instantly. Does not produce heat, so it is very suitable as a detection system. E 'also used on a spectrum analyzer to speed on his power.

Mass
This term means the potential of zero electrical circuit. A good ground is critical for proper system performance, such as power output and no noise.

Measurement Microphone
A special microphone designed to detect only the frequency response of an environment. His response is perfectly flat. Any irregularities are compensated for by equalization in the system of measurement. Normally the cost is very high.

Eighth
It 'a method to divide the audio spectrum. An octave is double the previous year and the goal of what follows.

Parametric
Equalization where you can act both as a frequency adjustment is the same as the width. E 'normally used in professional systems, given its performance, its versatility and its complexity in use.

Liabilities
A component that requires no power. Normally presents a loss of signal manipulation

Line loss
The amount of signal lost because of passive components on the signal, such as crossover passive resistance or attenuation

PFM Programmable Frequency Match.
A system used by AudioControl to accurately determine the operating frequency of a subsonic filter, where even a few Hz can make a difference.

Pink Noise - Pink Noise
E 'a signal where I played all the octaves of the audio spectrum with the same intensity. And a crucial signal for calibration and entry point of audio systems with the help of a spectrum analyzer in real time.

Power (measured in Watts RMS).
This is the continuous power that a coil of un'altoparlante immersed in its magnetic field, is able to dissipate without damage. The speakers, in any way you can damage if the amplifier reaches clipping.

When the amplifier enters clipping produces square waves of distortion, which can be regarded as current, although the music is composed exclusively of alternating current. When the subwoofer amplifier enters clipping, it is very hard to detect because it is this distortion at low frequencies is not very audible.

Point-to-3dB
The frequency in which there is an attenuation of 3 dB. Indicates the beginning or end of a frequency response or the crossover point.

Q
Q can be defined is the relationship between the bandwidth and center frequency of a filter, is the relationship between the reactance and resistance in a circuit in series, as the ratio between the resistance and reactance in a circuit in parallel.

Qes
The Q of the resonant frequency un'altoparlante considering only the electrical losses.

Qms
The Q of the resonant frequency un'altoparlante considering only mechanical losses.

QTC
The Q un'altoparlante or a speaker in sealed box at the resonant frequency whereas only the resistive losses.

Qts
The Q of the resonant frequency un'altoparlante considering only the resistive losses.

Quality Factor
Also referred to as Q, is defined as the center frequency divided by bandwidth.

What resistance is resistance to the passage of electric current in a circuit, is measured in ohms (W).

DC Resistance (Re) (measured in ohms).
The real strength of un'altoparlante measured with a standard voltmeter. Is normally lower nominal impedance of the speaker. A 4 Ohm speaker usually has a DC resistance ranging from 3.2 to 3.5 Ohms. Can be useful when you are not sure of the impedance of a loudspeaker.

Free air resonance (Fs and Fo) (measured in Hz).
The frequency at which the speaker vibrates with ease. FS, is not the only parameter that indicates how a speaker will sound on the low frequencies.

Root Mean Square (RMS)
See the actual voltage

S Factor
The description of the frequency response of a loudspeaker in a band-pass configuration. Generally also indicates the bandwidth.

Semiconductor
A material as the case may include both as a conductor, both as an insulator.

Conventional sense of slip of the current
The sense that the current takes on when it should flow from a point of high potential to a point with less potential.

Series
A circuit where components are connected one after another like a chain.

Series-Parallel
Connecting components in series or in parallel with each other, in order to increase the power handling capabilities compared to single component.

Sound Pressure Level (SPL)
The measure of sound pressure in an environment, expressed in dB, or more correctly in dBA. The noise at the edge of a city street is about 60 dBA. 1 dB, is the smallest audible difference in the variation of intensity of sound. Theoretically 1 dB is the minimum signal audible to the human ear, while 120 dB is the limit of discomfort, 130 the limit of pain.

SPL
See Sound Pressure Level

SPLo (measured in dB).
The efficiency of reference un'altoparlante measured at 1kHz with a meter away with 1 W.

Subsonic
See infrasonic

Effective surface area (Sd) (measured in meters or square centimeters).
E 'the effective radiating area of a loudspeaker, including a part of the board.

Effective voltage
A voltage of an AC signal having the same effect as an equivalent voltage DC. Also known as RMS (Root Mean Square).

Treble - Treble
The high frequency audio spectrum.

Tweeter
Small loudspeaker suited to reproducing the high frequencies.

Vas (measured in liters or cubic feet).
Volume Acoustic Suspension. And 'the volume of air that has the same softness of the suspension of un'altoparlante.

Vb (measured in liters or cubic feet)
The internal volume of a speaker.

Vd
Encumbered by the earpiece volume measured considering its maximum range.

Volt
The unit of measurement of electromotive force (V)

Volume
Usually refers to the internal volume of a speaker, obtained by multiplying the three dimensions of the box (L x H x D)

Watt
The unit of measure for electrical power. 1 W, by definition, is when a circuit passes a current of 1 A with a voltage of 1 V.

Woofer
Normally a large diameter loudspeaker suited to reproduce the low frequencies.

Xmax (measured in millimeters or inches).
And 'the measurement of the excursion of a loudspeaker linear whereas only one way.