Hi-Fi Wiki
Master the language of high-fidelity audio and advanced home cinema. Explore clear, professional definitions of acoustic concepts, AV technology, and audiophile terminology.
16-bit / 44.1 kHz (CD Quality)
The standard PCM resolution used by audio CDs: 16-bit samples captured 44,100 times per second for each audio channel.
.webp)
5.1 Surround Sound
A surround layout with five ear-level channels—left, center, right, and two surrounds—plus one low-frequency-effects channel normally reproduced by a subwoofer.
7.1 Surround Sound
A surround layout with seven ear-level channels, adding rear-surround channels to a 5.1 arrangement, plus one low-frequency-effects channel for bass content.
AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)
A lossy compression format designed to be the successor of MP3, offering better sound quality at similar bit rates.
.webp)
Absorption Coefficient
A measure of how much sound is absorbed by a material, varying with frequency; higher values indicate better absorption.
Acoustic Panel
A fabric-wrapped board made of sound-absorbing materials, used to reduce reflections and reverberation within a room.
Acoustic Suspension
A sealed loudspeaker design in which trapped cabinet air provides much of the woofer’s restoring force, enabling controlled low-frequency response and compact enclosures.
Acoustic Treatment
The use of absorptive, diffusive, and reflective materials to control sound reflections within a room, enhancing sound quality.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
Uses microphones, signal processing, and anti-phase sound to reduce selected external noise reaching the listener, especially steady low-frequency ambient sounds.
.webp)
Active Speakers
Loudspeakers with built-in power amplification, often including electronic crossovers, DSP, DACs, or streaming functions depending on the design.
AES3 (AES/EBU)
A professional digital-audio interface commonly carried over balanced 110-ohm XLR connections, transporting two channels of PCM audio with embedded clock information.
.webp)
AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format)
An uncompressed audio format developed by Apple, commonly used for storing high-quality audio on Macs.
.webp)
ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec)
A lossless compression format developed by Apple, similar to FLAC, used primarily in the Apple ecosystem.
.webp)
Amplitude
The magnitude or strength of an audio signal’s waveform, which influences the perceived loudness of the sound.
Analog Interconnect Cables
Used to link audio components (e.g., CD players, DACs, amplifiers), these cables accurately transfer low-level signals with minimal loss.
Analog-to-Digital Conversion (ADC)
Converts a continuous analog audio waveform into digital samples represented by numerical values, enabling recording, processing, storage, and digital transmission.
.webp)
Anechoic Chamber
A room designed to completely absorb reflections of sound, often used for testing and measurement purposes.
Anti-Skate Mechanism
A turntable adjustment that applies outward compensation to counter the tonearm’s inward skating force, helping maintain balanced stylus pressure on both groove walls.
Anti‑Vibration Mats
Mats made from resilient materials placed under equipment to dampen external vibrations and improve sound clarity.
Audio Signal Processing
The analysis or modification of audio using analog or digital techniques such as filtering, equalization, dynamics control, mixing, correction, and effects.
AV Receiver
A multifunctional unit that combines audio amplification, decoding, and switching, acting as the central hub for home theater systems.
AV Room Calibration
Automated or manual adjustment of speaker levels, distances, delays, crossover settings, and equalization to optimize a surround system for its room.
Azimuth
The cartridge’s side-to-side rotational alignment when viewed from the front, affecting stylus contact with both groove walls, channel balance, and crosstalk.
Balanced Armature Driver
A miniature transducer common in in-ear monitors that moves an armature within a magnetic field, providing high efficiency and compact multi-driver implementations.
