Audio Glossary

Amplitude: Size of a signal’s swing; larger amplitude sounds louder.
Balance: Relative level of the left and right channels.
Binaural beat: Perceived beat when each ear gets a slightly different tone.
Clipping: Distortion when a signal exceeds the maximum level.
Crossover: Filter splitting frequencies between drivers or sub and speakers.
dB (decibel): Logarithmic unit comparing two levels.
dBA: Sound level weighted like human hearing.
dBFS: Level relative to digital full scale; 0 dBFS is the maximum.
Driver: The part of a speaker or headphone that moves air.
Dynamic range: Difference between the quietest and loudest usable level.
Frequency: Cycles per second, in hertz (Hz); heard as pitch.
Frequency response: How evenly a device reproduces different frequencies.
Harmonics: Multiples of a fundamental frequency that shape timbre.
Hertz (Hz): Unit of frequency.
Latency: Delay between a sound being produced and heard or recorded.
LFE: Low-frequency effects channel (“.1”) for the subwoofer.
LUFS: Loudness units relative to full scale; perceived loudness.
Mono: A single channel sent to all speakers.
Noise floor: Background noise level of a system or room.
Octave: A doubling of frequency.
Phase: Timing position within a waveform cycle.
Polarity: Whether a signal or speaker is in normal or inverted orientation.
Room mode: Resonance between room surfaces that boosts or cancels bass.
Sample rate: Samples per second in digital audio, e.g. 48 kHz.
Sine wave: A pure tone with a single frequency.
SPL: Sound pressure level, measured in dB.
Stereo: Two channels creating a left–right image.
THD: Total harmonic distortion.
Tinnitus: Perception of sound without an external source.
Tweeter: Driver for high frequencies.
Woofer: Driver for low frequencies.

Audio terms A–Z