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Study Hall Home > Audio Basics
Audio Basics
Cleaning microphones. Microphones are subject to an inordinate amount of abuse, especially in live music. Regular cleaning of your mics will not only improve its performance, but is also good hygiene. How to do it right.
Stereo microphone techniques. The use of two or more microphones to create a stereo image will often give depth and spatial placement to an instrument or overall recording. How do you set it up properly and what's right for your application?
Become
a better engineer. Work at lower volume levels. Be consistent. Quality is
no accident. Success comes from working every day at your craft.
Low Power Dangerous?
You bet!!!
Digital Dharma of audio converters. The history and implementation of digital and what it means for audio systems.
Mic mysteries revealed. Understanding polar patterns and types of microphones for better overall live and studio sound.
Power amplifiers 101. Straightforward definition of key factors, such as class/design, the nature of distortion, types of power supplies and emerging trends.
Understanding line arrays. Explanation and comparison of current models and clear definition of the terminology.
Audio power trip. Is more always better with respect to power in an audio system? Not exactly... Plus more you need to know.
Audio power trip, part 2. Impedance, resistance and reactance have dramatic impact on an audio system. Learn about it, and how to optimize these factors!
Getting unity gain right. The term "unity gain" is defined, as are conditions to measure it. Also clarification of impedance matching.
Voltage Drop Calculator. Download this handy Excel Spreadsheet that allows you to quickly and accurately determine voltages relative to distance, resistance and more. Supplied by Rick Van of Tech Tronics Inc.
Signal processing fundamentals. Everything you wanted to know about crossovers, EQ, controllers and more, and how this knowledge can benefit your system.
Distortion Truths. Tony Andrews explains loudspeaker distortion, why it happens, and lays out criteria for fidelity.
Syncronization and Timecode Basics
Audio signals & analysis. Thorough discussion of the nature of peak and average levels of music and speech, dealing with signal peaks and more.
Guide to Digital Mixing. Get the most from digital consoles in all pro audio applications. By Soundcraft. (PDF format, 726k)
A General Guide to Mixing. An outstanding primer/tutorial: How a console works to getting the most from it. By Soundcraft (PDF format, 3262k)
Dynamics processing primer. What is dynamic range? Why do you need compression? When and where should you apply it? What about noise gates? Answers to these questions and more.
Gain structure & more. Brian Elwell live chat transcript, where this senior consultant shares tips on gain structure as well as project management and stadium sound.
Speech intelligibility issues. A thorough look at issues of speech intelligibility in emergency systems as well as the impact of native language differences.
Dynamic range vs signal-to-noise. Learn the differences between the two as well as how to put this important knowledge into practice.
Critical Distance. The distance where direct and reflected speech meet is vital for good mic performance. Shure explains, and shows how to calculate Critical Distance...
High and Low Impedance Signals. Al Keltz provides an excellent tutorial on understanding the differences in impedance and what these signals really mean within an audio system.
Interactive calculators for designing systems, including Constant Voltage Transform Power, dB Power & Voltage, Amp Power Required, Inverse Square Law, Line Loss and Ohm's.
Basic Math. Chuck McGregor's quintessential primer on basic audio math functions involving the decibel (dB). Even if you hated math in school...
Clipping.
Chuck McGregor explains clipping - what it is, why it's bad, and how to avoid
it! pdf format, file size 5k, 1 page
Damping
Factor.
Chuck McGregor explains what damping factor is, how it works and more. (Revised
January 2000) pdf format, file size 128k, 4 pages
Fusing
loudspeakers.
Mark Mattson talks about the relationship between adjacent loudspeakers, and how
to get them all to work together. pdf format, file size 10k, 2 pages
Gain
structure basics.
A basic primer addressing the crucial issue of gain structure. This is an "easier
to digest" version of the comprehensive gain structure article below. pdf format,
file size 39k, 3 pages
How
many watts for this loudspeaker?.
Matching power amps to loudspeakers. What's the right equation? Yes, the eternal
question, addressed. pdf format, file size 9k, 2 page.
How
to set up gain structure.
More advanced discussion of setting gain structure, and its importance. Updated
graphicspdf format, file size 77k, 13 pages.
Loudspeaker primer. Your system is only as good as the weakest component in the signal chain! Loudspeaker basics explained.
Noise
Induced Hearing Loss.
Issued by the US National Institutes of Health, explains noise induced hearing
loss, a common impairment in the pro audio business. (file size 39k, 21 pages)
Polarity
and phase explained.
Polarity and phase are not the same thing, as this well-written paper by Chuck
McGregor explains. pdf format, file size 131k, 11 pages
"Q"
to bandwidth conversion chart.
Very useful in configuring DSP system controllers. This chart assists in converting
"Q" to bandwidth. pdf format, file size 12k, 1 page
Rane Professional Audio Reference. A wealth of useful definitions of terms and acronyms used in the industry.
Series Mode surge suppression. Neil Muncy provides a primer on how surge suppression works, how MOV's work, and the advantages of series mode surge suppression in audio systems.
Syn-Aud-Con Tech Topics. An ever-growing collection of in-depth technical articles explaining audio system problems and effective solutions.
Troubleshootin' Cowboy. Proven tips and tricks for maintaining the health of your CD and DVD players, plus handy tricks for recovering damaged media on tape.
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