Technology / Home Audio Glossary

Automatic Music Search (AMS): A feature that allows a CD or cassette mechanism to skip forward or backwards to another track.

Automatic Tuner Activation (ATA): A feature that allows the tuner to be accessed while a tape deck is rewinding or fast forwarding.

Average Power: The result of multiplying the rms value of the voltage by the rms value of the current in an electronic circuit. It is expressed in watts (W) for resistive loads and in voltamperes (VA) for . . . View Full Definition

Back Light: In receivers, a display may be lit from the rear to create better visibility under a wide range of ambient light conditions.

Back Plate: The part of the woofers metal Basket or frame on which the Magnet structure is mounted.

Baffle: A flat panel that divides the front and rear sound waves produced by a woofer. Sometimes baffle is used to mean an enclosure or the front panel on which the speaker is mounted.

Balanced Wiring: Audio line signals require two conductors. In an unbalanced line, the shield is one of those. In a balanced line, there are two internal wires plus the shield. For the system to be balanced . . . View Full Definition

Banana Jacks: A set of connectors in which 4 spring contacts are wrapped vertically around a central pin like a banana peel. When inserted into the receptacle jack it maintains a strong and consistent con . . . View Full Definition

Banana Plugs: A set of connectors in which 4 spring contacts are wrapped vertically around a central pin like a banana peel. When inserted into the receptacle jack it maintains a strong and consistent con . . . View Full Definition

Band-Limiting Filters: A low-pass and a high-pass filter in series, acting together to restrict (limit) the overall bandwidth of a system. Many audio amplifiers and processors, having switches labeled as 'Rumble' . . . View Full Definition

Bandpass Box: An enclosure that is specifically tuned to give maximum energy to a very limited range of frequencies, usually the lowest. In this arrangement, the woofers are fully enclosed in the box with . . . View Full Definition

Bandpass Enclosure: An enclosure that is specifically tuned to give maximum energy to a very limited range of frequencies, usually the lowest. In this arrangement, the woofers are fully enclosed in the box with . . . View Full Definition

Bandpass Filter: A filter that has a finite passband, neither of the cutoff frequencies being zero or infinite. The bandpass frequencies are normally associated with frequencies that define the half power po . . . View Full Definition

Bandpass Gain: The increase (or decrease) in efficiency of loudspeakers, due to the enclosure size and tuning. This is measured by the midband sensitivity of the speaker as a whole.

Bandwidth: Abbr. BW The numerical difference between the upper and lower -3 db points of a band of audio frequencies. Used to figure the Q, or quality factor, for a filter.

Barium Ferrite: A speaker magnet material made from an alloy with iron and barium for improved magnetic strength.

Basket: The metal frame structure of a standard dynamic loudspeaker. In larger, heavier speakers, this may be made of cast metal for extra strength and rigidity. All the other elements of the speake . . . View Full Definition

Bass: The portion of the audible sound spectrum that contains the lowest frequencies. These frequencies have the longest wavelength and require considerably greater electrical power to render them . . . View Full Definition

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