
GLOSSARY
| attenuate | to reduce or make quieter. decrease the signal level | 
| auxiliary (aux) | send an output from the console to supplemental equipment that provide additional | 
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 | capabilities. typically the feeds to the mix are implemented on rotary level controls. an aux | 
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 | return on the mixer is intended to connect to the output of the supplemental equipment. | 
| balance | the relative levels of the left and right channels of a stereo signal. | 
| balanced | a method of audio connection which ‘balances’ the wanted signal between two wires and a | 
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 | screen which carries no signal. any interference is picked up equally by the two wires, which | 
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 | results in cancellation of the unwanted signal. | 
| clipping | the onset of severe distortion in the signal path, usually caused by the peak signal voltage being | 
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 | limited by the circuit’s power supply voltage. | 
| DAT | Digital Audio Tape, a  | 
| dB (decibel) | a ratio of two voltages or signal levels, expressed by the equation dB=20Log10 (V1/V2). Adding | 
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 | the suffix ‘u’ denotes the ratio is relative to 0.775V RMS. | 
| DI | (direct injection) the practice of connecting an electric musical instrument directly to the input | 
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 | of the /DI Box mixing console, rather than to an amplifier and loudspeaker which is covered by a | 
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 | microphone feeding the console. | 
| direct output | a post fade line level output from the input channel, bypassing the summing amplifiers, typically | 
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 | for sending to individual tape tracks during recording. | 
| equalizer | a device that allows the boosting or cutting of selected bands of frequencies in the signal path. | 
| fader | a linear control providing level adjustment. | 
| feedback | the `howling’ sound caused by bringing a microphone too close to a loudspeaker driven from its | 
| 
 | amplified signal. | 
| foldback | a feed sent back to the artistes via loudspeakers or headphones to enable them to monitor the | 
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 | sounds they are producing. | 
| frequency response | the variation in gain of a device with frequency. | 
| gain | the amount of amplification in level of the signal. | 
| headroom | the available signal range above the nominal level before clipping occurs. | 
| highpass filter | a filter that rejects low frequencies and passes only high frequencies. the  | 
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 | determines the limit that frequencies are rejected or allowed to pass through. | 
| impedance balancing | a technique used on unbalanced outputs to minimize the effect of hum and interference when | 
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 | connecting to external balanced inputs. | 
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