Technology / Home Audio Glossary

Lcd: Liquid Crystal Display. Probably the most common way of showing visual information on non-computer electronic equipment.

Le: The electrical inductance of a speaker’s voice coil. (Measured In Millihenries, Mh)

Lfe Input: Found on some powered subwoofers, this special preamp-level input accepts the 'Low Frequency Effects' signal that's output by digital 5.1-, 6.1-, or 7.1-channel home theater receivers, ensur . . . View Full Definition

Limiter: An electronic compressor with a fixed ratio of 10:1 or greater. The dynamic action effectively prevents the audio signal from becoming any larger than the threshold setting. For example, if . . . View Full Definition

Line-Level: Standard +4 dbu or -10 dbv audio levels. Used in communicating standard signals between processing devices, such as : receiver to equalizer, or equalizer to amplifier.

Linear: 1. Referring to mechanical movement, the ability of the voice coil to move in and out in the air gap without moving side-to-side. Non-linear movement can damage the voice coil. 2. Referring . . . View Full Definition

Linear Phase Response: Any system which accurately preserves phase relationships between frequencies.

Linearity: The degree to which a given transducer or amplifier can produce an equal response within its specified range. This is usually measured in db with +or - as small a number as possible indicati . . . View Full Definition

Listening Position: A feature which can optimize frequency response and imaging for a particular position in a vehicle through the use of signal delay.1

Load: The resistance or impedance to which energy is being supplied. In amplifiers, the speaker or speakers connected to the output of the amplifier.4

Loss: The difference between potential energy output and actual energy output.

Lossy Compression: A type of data compression which permanently discards data that humans supposedly 'cannot hear' to create much smaller audio, video and image file sizes. When the file is decompressed by the . . . View Full Definition

Loudness: The Sound Pressure Level of a standard sound which appears to be as loud as the unknown. Loudness level is measured in phons and equals the equivalent SPL in db of the standard. [For example . . . View Full Definition

Loudness Compensation: When played quietly, this switched circuit allows fuller apparent sound from a system such that the tendancy for human hearing sensitivity to drop off at certain frequencies is compensated a . . . View Full Definition

Loudspeaker: An electro-acoustic transducer that converts electrical audio signals at its input to audible sound waves at its output.

Low Frequency: Refers to radio frequencies within the 30-300 khz band. In audio it usually refers to frequencies in the 20-160 Hz band.

Low Pass Filter: A network of components which attenuate all frequencies above a predetermined frequency selected by the designer. Frequencies below cut-off are passed without any effect.

Low Q: A low Q, or QTS, (reactance) woofer Driver is desirable for use in a vented enclosure.

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