Summary of Important Audio Terms You Need to Know

Audio terminology is a set of technical terms used to describe the characteristics, properties, and technologies associated with sound. It is a common language that helps users, audio engineers, and professionals communicate and better understand how sound is created, transmitted, processed, and reproduced. Understanding these terms will not only help you accurately evaluate the quality of your equipment, but also optimize your audio experience.

And Phuc Truong Audio Refer to the details of 70+ common audio terms you should know, helping you better understand timbre, frequency, and other factors that affect sound quality, so you can enjoy music and listening experiences more fully.

What is Audio Terminology?

Audio terms are words and phrases used to describe, define, and categorize various aspects of sound, from its physical properties to the human listening experience. They include concepts such as frequency, loudness, distortion, and many other specialized terms related to audio equipment and engineering.

Why Understand Audio Terminology?

Understanding audio terminology brings four practical benefits: effective communication, equipment evaluation, optimizing the listening experience, and saving time and money.

1. Communicate effectively and accurately

Understanding audio terminology helps you express your ideas and requests accurately when working with audio professionals or engineers. Terms like frequency, distortion, and timbre help you communicate information more clearly.

Practical example: When you want to reduce environmental noise, you can ask for headphones with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) instead of just saying “noise-cancelling headphones”. This helps experts understand your exact needs and provide the right solution.

2. Evaluate audio equipment objectively

Understanding terms like bass, treble, dynamic range, or frequency response helps you evaluate the quality of audio equipment objectively.

Real-world example: A speaker with a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz will reproduce the entire range of sound that the human ear can hear. If you love powerful bass, you should choose a speaker with a built-in subwoofer or a bass reflex design to enhance the low frequencies.

3. Optimize your music listening experience

Understanding audio terminology can help you tune your equipment to get the best sound quality. Concepts like equalizer (EQ), crossover frequency, and sound stage can help you tailor your sound to your personal taste or to suit a particular genre of music.

Practical example: If you listen to classical music, you can boost the midrange from 200Hz to 2kHz to highlight the vocals and main instruments. Conversely, with EDM music, you should boost the bass to create a more powerful and lively feeling.

4. Save cost and time

Understanding audio terminology helps you avoid mistakes when purchasing or using equipment. You won't need to test multiple products or seek expert help as often, saving both time and money.

Practical example: If you know that 32Ω impedance headphones are suitable for your phone, while 300Ω headphones need a powerful amplifier, you will avoid buying the wrong incompatible device.

What Common Audio Terms Do You Need to Know?

Here are 70+ common audio terms you need to know

1. 2-way, two way: The wire structure is designed with separate transmission lines for high and low frequencies, helping the frequencies to transmit at the same speed and produce accurate sound. For example, 2-way speakers include two speakers, 1 woofer and 1 tweeter, and use a crossover circuit to reproduce the two bass, mid and high frequencies with separate speakers.
2. 3-way (Three-way): The wire structure is designed with separate transmission lines for high, mid and low frequencies, helping the frequencies to be transmitted at the same speed and for accurate sound. For example, 3-way speakers include 3 speakers, 1 woofer, 1 mid-range and 1 treble speaker, and use a crossover circuit to reproduce the two bass, mid and high frequencies with separate speakers.
3. Amplifier: A device that increases the level of a signal. They usually increase voltage, current, or both.
4. A power amplifier – Amply OBT LA 1600
5. Analog: A continuous representation of sound waves. A continuous electrical signal is often represented as an oscillating wave. It can take any value within a range and change smoothly between values, in contrast to a digital signal, which is characterized by discrete bits of information in numerical steps.
6. Anechoic: No echo. An anechoic room is a room without any reflected sound.
7. Audio frequency: The range of sounds that the human ear can hear, typically from 20Hz to 20kHz.
8. Asymmetrical: Often used to describe the sound of a device that is unbalanced, off-center.
9. Aux Input: This is an input connection suitable for both input from a source and microphone input from an amplifier, which can be balanced or unbalanced input.
10. Axis: The imaginary line/axis running from the speaker to the listener's position.
11. Banana Plug: Is a banana-shaped connector about 0,32cm (1/8 inch) wide and about 2,54cm (1 inch) long, plugged directly into the core of the terminal behind the speaker or amplifier.
12. Bandwidth (Frequency bandwidth). A specific frequency range.
13. Baffle: In each speaker, the term baffle is often used to refer to the front baffle that attaches the speaker face.
14. Binding Post: The post on the back of the speaker and amplifier used to connect the speaker wire. This post comes in many different shapes, from small hole wire clamps, spiral clamps to spade connectors or banana plugs.
15. Bass (Low sound, low sound): Low sound in the audio range with frequencies from 0Hz to 200Hz.
16. Bass Reflex (Resonant speaker box, bass reflex): This is a type of speaker box that uses a separate chamber or duct to enhance the bass, which is to use the resonance phenomenon of sound that you learned in the high school Physics program. This phenomenon is often applied to make speaker boxes, guitars... Speakers are designed with vent holes to enhance the bass. If the vent is behind the speaker when placed near the wall, the bass will increase a lot.
17. Bi-amping: Use 2 amplifiers to drive 2 speaker bridges. 1 bridge is the low range, and 1 bridge is the high mid range. This does not necessarily require an active crossover. The speaker only needs 2 pairs of speaker bridges.
18. Biwiring: is using two pairs of speaker wires from an amplifier to play separately for the bass and treble ranges on one pair of speakers.
19. Center Channel Speaker: The center channel speaker is used to reproduce voices, dialogue, or any other sound that is mixed during the disc production process. In a home theater, the center channel speaker is usually located directly above or below the television. The center channel speaker plays an important role, acting as a bridge between the front left speaker and the front right speaker. It creates a coherent and convincing sound field for a movie.
20. Coaxial cable: A 75 Ohm impedance cable, commonly used to connect a TV to some FM or TV antenna systems. This device is also used to connect the mechanism of a CD player or DVD player to a DA converter.
21. Cone: A cone-shaped speaker membrane attached to a voice coil to create vibrations in the air that help the ears perceive sound.
22. Condenser Microphone: Condenser microphone or electret microphone, it is widely used for speech and meetings, the device always needs to be powered from battery or from phantom power provided in the amplifier.
23. Crossover: A passive (in a speaker cabinet) or active (in a processor) component that divides specific frequency bands to the individual sub-woofers of each speaker system. Without a crossover, each speaker would pass the entire frequency band through it.
24. Crossover Frequency: Is the frequency that the speaker's crossover system selects to send the audio signal to the sub-speaker.
25. Compact Disc Transport (CD Mechanism): A device that reads information in binary form from a compact disc and transfers it to an external unit that converts it into an analog signal.
26. Damping Material: Materials equipped to increase dissipation such as glass wool, polyester padding or foam... placed in the speaker box to reduce the frequency resonance of the bass speaker cone.
27. DAC- Digital to Audio Converter: Is a device that converts digital signal sequences to analog signals.
28. Decibel (dB): A measure of sound intensity. Each dB is the smallest change in sound intensity that can be detected by the human ear.
29. Dipolar: A speaker design with pairs of opposite speakers that are calibrated to be out of phase and radiate sound in many directions. This results in mutual cancellation between the speakers and the listener only feels the sound reflected from the walls around the listening room. This technology is often used in "surround" speakers of home theater systems.
30. Diaphragm: In a speaker, the diaphragm is driven by the voice coil. It moves and creates air waves, creating sound. The diaphragm is usually conical or dome-shaped.
31. Digital: Describes estimated values ​​at discrete time intervals.
32. Diaphragm: In a speaker, the diaphragm is driven by the voice coil. It moves and creates air waves, creating sound. The diaphragm is usually conical or dome-shaped.
33. DSP (Digital Signal Processing): A program used to modify digital input signals for a number of common applications such as processing rear speaker delay times, equalizing subwoofers, filtering low frequencies from satellite speakers, and adding effects (theater).
34. DTS (Digital Theater System): Is the name of the method of encoding audio channels for watching movies and listening to music. Can be up to 7 channels (6.1). This method is superior to Dolby Digital 5.1.
35. Equalizer (EQ): An electronic device that acts as an active filter to boost or cut a certain frequency range. Purposefully changing the frequency sensitivity of a circuit to change the sound. You might do this to increase bass for a game or movie. Or to create a more balanced sound for your music.
36. Filter: An electrical circuit or mechanical device that removes or attenuates energy at certain frequencies, while allowing other frequencies to pass. Crossover: A passive (in a speaker cabinet) or active (in a processor) device that divides specific frequency bands to the individual drivers of a speaker system. Without a crossover, each driver would have the entire frequency band passed through it.
37. Frequency: The number of cycles of sound repeated in a given period of time, measured in hertz or kilohertz. The ceiling value is usually 20Hz to 20K Hz with lower frequencies representing bass and higher frequencies representing treble.
38. Frequency Response (Frequency range, frequency response, frequency response): Is the balanced range of sound across the entire spectrum reproduced by an audio device that the human ear can hear at the same volume level, usually from 20Hz to 20.000Hz.
39. Gain: In electronics, Gain is a measure of the ability of a circuit (usually an amplifier) ​​to increase the power or amplitude of a signal from input to output. It is usually defined as the average ratio of the output signal of a system to the input signal of the same system.
40. HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface): Means High Definition Multimedia Interface, to transmit digital video signals from the source to the TV. The source must convert the digital signal to analog. The result is a “clean” signal transmitted to a TV equipped with HDMI or DVI. The HDMI signal cable can transmit both video and audio signals. The jack has 19 pins.
41. Hertz (Hz): The standard unit of frequency, equal to 1 cycle per second. One hertz (Hz) represents one cycle per second, 20Hz represents 20 cycles per second, and so on…
42. High Pass Filter: A filter designed to allow only high frequency signals to pass through, while minimizing low frequencies.
43. Impedance: The total amount of opposition (resistance, capacitance, inductance) in the path of an alternating current. Impedance is measured in (Ohms) and varies at different frequency thresholds.
44. Integrated Amplifier: A monolithic device that includes both a preamplifier and a power amplifier.
45. Interconnects – Cables: Signal cables are used to connect low-level signal devices from CD players to receivers, from DVD players to receivers, from receivers to powered subwoofers, etc. Most signal cables have an anti-interference shielding structure and use RCA connectors.
46. Line Level: The input signal level of an amplifying device such as a preamplifier or amplifier.
47. Low Pass Filter: A filter designed to pass low-frequency frequencies while attenuating high-frequency frequencies.
48. Maximum Power Rating: The maximum power level (W) that an audio device can handle in the mid-bass range, usually at the upper end of the sub-bass speaker's frequency range (around 100 – 200Hz).
49. Neutral (Balanced): Balanced sound is a standard that audio and headphone brands all aim for. Balanced sound means that all three sound ranges, high, mid, low, are at the same level, helping users enjoy every detail in harmony. However, no headphone is perfectly balanced, each brand has a different definition of 'balance', so sometimes a product that is balanced for one person becomes difficult to listen to for another.
50. Noise: Unwanted signal that interferes with the original audio/video signal source.
51. Nominal: with home audio systems, the term nominal has two main meanings: 1-Nominal power is the minimum power the amplifier needs to pair with the speakers. 2-Nominal impedance is the theoretical minimum impedance of the speaker pair.
52. Output (Power): The sound reproduction intensity of a pair of speakers, amplifier, power amplifier...
53. Overload: A condition in which the system is supplied with a signal level that is too high. The consequences of overload can be distortion or damage to the equipment.
54. Passive: An electrical circuit or amplifier that does not have active components such as transistors or vacuum tubes, so the passive circuit does not amplify the power of the signal. Virtually no distortion.
55. Phantom Power: In professional audio systems, this is a method of transmitting DC electrical energy through the microphone cable to operate the microphone containing electronic circuitry. It is known as a convenient power source for the microphone.
56. Phase: In audio, phase refers to the time relationship between two or more waves. It is especially important for two speakers in the same system to operate in phase. This means that all the speakers in the speaker system must move in and out at the same time. If the speakers are out of phase, it will cause a lack of bass or a broken stereo image.
57. Preamplifier: The preamplifier is the control center of the sound system. All modulation is done here such as volume, sound balance between channels. Usually, this device has a certain level of amplified signal. An AV receiver consists of both a preamplifier and an amplifier.
58. Power Amplifier (Power Amplifier).
59. Peak Power: is the highest power level of the amplifier or speaker recommended for safe operation of the device.
60. PMPO (Peak Music Power Output): The peak power achieved at a given moment, not the continuous power of the device. Often printed on integrated systems, mini systems, or radio cassettes to create a false impression that the device has high power.
61. Power Hanging: The maximum safe power that the speaker can handle. However, remember that an amplifier with too little power will have a harder time pushing the speaker than an amplifier with too much power.
62. RCA Connector: A standard plug or jack used to connect audio or video devices. This type of plug, also known as a lotus signal jack, lotus jack – was invented by RCA Laboratories. RCA connectors are also called phono lines or jacks, even when they are used in devices that do not use a phono circuit.
63. RMS (Root Mean Squared, RMS Power): Is an abbreviation system used to indicate estimated power (in watts) in the audio field to evaluate the continuous output power of an amplifier or the load capacity of a speaker.
64. Six Channel Input: Many DVD players today have a built-in Dolby Digital processor with five independent surround outputs and a subwoofer. To use this feature, you need a six-channel amplifier (one input for each surround channel).
65. Stereo: A term derived from the Greek word for solidity. A two-channel audio format designed to give the listener the illusion of three-dimensional space with stereo imaging between two pairs of speakers.
66. Sensitivity or SPL: A measure of the sound pressure level measured from a distance of one meter from the speaker when the speaker receives a 1-Volt-2,83 Watt signal at 8 Ohms
67. Shielding: Keeps wires or equipment free from unwanted interference.
68. Subwoofer: A separate bass speaker box that produces deep sounds that other small speakers cannot.
69. Toroidal Transformer: Toroidal transformer has high stability and causes little interference to surrounding circuits.
70. Treble (High-frequency sound, high-pitched sound): High-frequency sound, high-pitched sounds in the frequency range from above 200Hz – 20KHz.
71. Triamping/Triwiring: Similar to biamping and biwiring, but with 3-way speakers (3 speakers). You need 3 pairs of speaker wires and 3 stereo amplifiers if you want to connect speakers using triaming.
72. Tweeter (treble speaker): Speaker responsible for reproducing high frequency sounds.
73. Valve (Tube): Electronic tube, for warm, seductive sound.
74. Watt (Power Unit): The larger the Watt, the stronger the power, but how loud the speaker is depends on the sensitivity of the speaker and the size of the listening room. See also PMPO.
75. Woofer: The largest speaker in a speaker cabinet, responsible for reproducing bass. In a karaoke system, the woofer is responsible for the booming, vibrating, and rumbling sounds. This is the range for explosions, tubas, cellos, bass, drums, and more.

Phuc Truong Audio - Professional and Reputable Sound System Installation Consulting Address in HCM

Phuc Truong Audio is one of the leading units in Ho Chi Minh City specializing in providing professional audio solutions, from consulting, designing to installing audio systems. With many years of experience and a team of highly skilled technicians, Phuc Truong Audio has affirmed its position in the audio industry in Vietnam.

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• Many years of experience: Phuc Truong Audio's staff has more than 10 years of experience in the industry, always updating the latest technologies and trends in the 4.0 technology era.
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Phuc Truong Audio is proud to be the leading prestigious unit in Ho Chi Minh City, trusted by customers thanks to:

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If you are looking for a reputable address to consult and install professional sound systems in Ho Chi Minh City, Phuc Truong Audio is a reliable choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What role does a subwoofer play in a sound system?

Woofer Specialized in reproducing low-frequency sounds, typically below 200Hz, enhancing the music and movie listening experience by providing deep, powerful bass.

Why use amplifier in sound system?

Amplify boosts the level of the audio signal so that the speakers can produce louder and clearer sound. It is an important part of any audio system to ensure that the sound is reproduced accurately.

How are RMS power and PMPO different?

RMS (Root Mean Squared) power is the continuous power that the speaker can handle, while PMPO (Peak Music Power Output) is the maximum power that the speaker can achieve in a short period of time. PMPO is usually higher than RMS and does not accurately reflect actual performance. See more details about speaker power and the power effect on sound quality.

Why use speakers with bass reflex design?

Bass speaker Reflex uses a resonance chamber to enhance the bass, helping to reproduce deeper and more powerful sound. This design is often preferred in home audio systems and karaoke system.

Why use filters in audio?

Filters help remove or reduce unwanted frequencies, improving sound quality. For example, a high-pass filter only allows high frequencies to pass, while a low-pass filter does the opposite. See also: Experience in choosing good filters for karaoke systems.

Why use center channel speaker in sound system?

Center speaker Helps reproduce voices and dialogue in movies, creating a coherent and convincing sound, usually placed directly above or below the TV.

Why use tweeters in sound systems?

Tweeter Specialized in reproducing high frequency sounds, helping to bring clearer and more detailed sound to music tracks, especially in music genres with a lot of treble.

Contact with Phuc Truong Audio If you are looking to purchase high quality audio equipment or need advice on how to use and install audio equipment. We are always ready to support you to bring the best audio experience!