Term
Definition
AES/EBU
Informal name of a digital audio standard established jointly by the AES (Audio Engineering Society) and EBU (European Broadcast Union) organizations.
AF
Audio frequency.
Audio
A term used to describe sounds within the range of human hearing (20 Hz to 20 kHz). Also used to describe devices which are designed to operate within this range.
Audio Frequency
Frequencies within the range of human hearing (approximately 20 Hz to 20 kHz).
Bel
A unit that represents the logarithm of the ratio of two levels. One bel equals the base 10 logarithm of the ratio of two power levels. It is also equal to the base 10 logarithm of square of the ratio of two voltage or current levels, provided the impedances are the same at the two levels. See dB.
Coil Effect
The inductive effect exhibited by a spiral-wrapped shield, especially above audio frequencies.
Crosstalk
A type of interference caused by signals from one pair or cable being coupled into adjacent pairs or cables. Can occur with audio, data, or RF signals.
DAVIC
Digital Audio Video Council.
Feedback
Energy that is extracted from a high-level point in a circuit and applied to a lower level. Positive feedback reduces the stability of a device and is used to increase the sensitivity or produce oscillation in a system. Negative feedback, also called inverse feedback, increases the stability of a system as the feedback improves stability and fidelity.
Microphonics
Noise caused by mechanical excitation of a system component. In a single-conductor microphone cable, for example, microphonics can be caused by the shield rubbing against the dielectric as the cable is flexed.
Quad
A four conductor cable. Also called "star quad".
Snake Cable
A name given to individually shielded or individually shielded and jacketed, multi-pair audio cables. Used in the connection of multi-channel line level audio equipment.
Star Quad
Term given to 4-conductor microphone cables where the conductors are spiraled together, which, when connected in an "x" configuration, greatly increases common mode noise rejection.
Triboelectric Noise
Noise generated in a shielded cable due to variations in capacitance between the shield and conductors as the cable is flexed.
XLR
A multi-pin audio connector (typically 3 pins) used in microphone, line level and snake cable audio connections.