Calista Home Theaters

How sensitive an electronic device (mic, amplifier, speaker, etc.) is to various frequencies; often communicated with a graph. Cancellation A shortening of the term Phase Cancellation (the energy of one waveform significantly decreasing the energy of another waveform because of phase relationships at or close to 180 degrees). Calista C2-88 Projector Haas Effect Simply stated, a factor in human hearing where delay has a much bigger effect on human perception of direction than level does. Face The front or body of the guitar. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Buss (Bus) A wire carrying signals to some place, usually fed from several sources. Delay Outboard sound equipment that can momentarily stores a signal being sent to part of a P.A. system so that delayed reinforced sound reaches the audience at the same time as live sound from the stage. Fat Having more than a normal amount of signal strength at low frequencies or having more sound than normal (by use o...

A microphone mounted on a flat plate that acts as a reflective surface directing sound into the mic capsule. Used for general pick-up over a large area. See PCC, PZM. Instrument Out Direct Feeding the output of an electric instrument (like an electric guitar) to the recording console or tape recorder without using a microphone. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Cut 1) One selection (one song) on a pre4ecorded music format. 2) A term with the same meaning as Mute (to turn off a channel or a signal). 3) To reduce gain of a particular band of frequencies (with an equalizer). 4) To not pass a particular band of frequencies (said of a filter) Ambient Micing Placing a microphone in the reverberant field (where the reverberation is louder than the direct sound) so as to do a separate recording of the ambience or to allow the recording engineer to change the mix of direct to reverberant sound in recording. Calista C2-88 Projector Amplitude The extreme range of a signal....

A storage unit for digital data that has rigid disks coated with magnetic material in a housing that includes the drive mechanism. Board 1) Another, less formal, term for Console. 2) A set of controls and their housing which control all signals necessary for recording and for mixing. 3) A slang shortening of the term Keyboard Instrument. Calista C2-88 Projector Digital Recording 1) ADAM : (Akai Digital Audio Multitrack). 12 track recording onto Video 8 tape. 16 bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz sampling rate. 2) DAT (Digital Audio Tape) Cassette-like system which has much higher quality than standard audio cassettes. Widely used in gathering sound effects, for news gathering, and for playback of music. 3) DCC (Digital Compact Cassette) Rival to DAT which also plays standard audio cassettes. 4) MiniDisc : Uses computer disk technology, rather than tape. A laser heats an area of magnetic disk which is then written to by a magnetic head. When cooled, the magnetic information is ...

Describes a good clean high midrange sound. It can be good or bad depending on the look on the face of the guy who said it. Error Concealment Putting replacement information bits into a digital audio signal to replace lost bits when the digital recording or processing system cannot verify whether the lost bits were l's or 0's but can make a good guess by comparing the known bits that were close in position to the lost bits. Calista C3-S Security System Feedback Control The control on a delay line or delay effects device that controls the amount of feedback. Bank 1) A collection of sound patches (data as to the sequence and operating parameters of the synthesizer generators and modifiers) in memory. 2) A group of sound modules as a unit. Calista C2-88 Projector Half Step A pitch difference of the amount that is present between adjacent keys on a piano. Baffles Sound absorbing panels used to prevent sound waves from entering or leaving a certain ...

A set of filters that "split" the audio signal into two or more bands (two or more signals, each of which have only some of the frequencies present). Dynamic Mic Robust type of microphone which picks up the sound on a diaphragm connected to a coil of wire which moves within a magnet. An alternating current is induced into the wire which provides the electrical output. Most dynamic mics have low output impedance of 200 Ohms. See Condenser Mic. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Hybrid A product created by the marriage of two different technologies. Meant here as the combination of a dynamic woofer with an electrostatic transducer. Keynote Number A number assigned to each key of a synthesizer or controller keyboard that is transmitted in the MIDI signal. Calista C2-88 Projector Electromagnetic Induction or Pick Up The generation of electrical signal in a conductor moving in a magnetic field or being close to a changing magnetic field. Feedback Control The...

A switch that breaks the connection between the ground point in one circuit and the ground point in another circuit. Figure Eight Pattern Another name for Bi-directional Pattern (microphone pickup pattern picking up best from the front and back of the diaphragm and not picking up from the side of the diaphragm). Calista C1-9 Home Theater Bulk Dump Short for System Exclusive Bulk Dump (a method of transmitting data, such as the internal parameters of a MIDI device to another MIDI device). Early Reflections The first echoes in a room, caused by the sound from the sound source reflecting off one surface before reaching the listener. Calista C3-S Security System Guitar Processor A unit that will add effects to a direct guitar signal, including a simulated instrument amplifier sound and (often) delay and reverb effects. Layering The recording (or playing) of a musical part with of several similar sound patches playing simultaneous. Electret Condenser A ...

Describes a sound coming from the PA with no effects on it. Foot (Foot Drum) Another name for Bass Drum (the largest drum in the Drum Kit which puts out bass frequencies and is played with a foot pedal). Calista C3-S Security System Feedback 1) The delayed signal sent back to the input of a delay line, used in repeat-echo effects. 2) The pickup of the signal out of a channel by its input or the howling sound that this produces. 3) In an amplifier, the phase reversed output signal sent back to its input, reducing gain but also distortion and noise. 4) This occurs when the sound coming out of the speakers goes back into the microphones, then back out the speakers, then back into the mics…and so on. This can build very quickly to a point where everyone in the room is holding their ears and screaming at you. It can also cause damage to the PA. Level Sets output volume of individual PA input channels. Usually positioned as sliders at the bottom of the soundboard. ...

Having to do with sound that can be heard by the ears. AcousticsThe behaviour of sound and its study. The acoustics of a room depend on its size and shape and the amount and position of sound-absorbing and reflecting material. Dolby Trade name for a series of noise reduction systems that have become standard on many tape playback machines. Many film soundtracks are produced using this process. Different varieties are found from Dolby B on most personal cassette players, to Dolby SR and Digital, the current state of the art for cinema. Calista C2-88 Projector Fundamental The tuned frequency and (almost always) the lowest frequency that is present in the sounding of a pitch by a musical instrument. Format 1) The number of tracks, their width, spacing and order for tape recording. 2) To prepare a digital storage medium so that it will accept and store digital information bits. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Limiter A device which reduces gain when the input voltag...

A microphone which converts sound pressure changes into changes of capacitance. The capacitance changes are then converted into electrical voltage variations (an audio signal). Ambience The portion of the sound that comes from the surrounding environment rather than directly from the sound source. Calista C2-88 Projector Keying Input (Key Input) An input on a dynamics processing device to control the device by an external audio signal. Crisp Describes a good clean high midrange sound. It can be good or bad depending on the look on the face of the guy who said it. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Diaphragm A thin flexible membrane or cone that vibrates in response to electrical signals to produce sound waves. Distortion is usually referred to in terms of total harmonic distortion (THD) which is the percentage of unwanted harmonics of the drive signal present with the wanted signal. Generally used to mean any unwanted change introduced by the device under question. ...

1) An amplified signal level put out by an amplifier and used as the normal level that runs through the interconnecting cables in a control room. 2) A low level signal such as the signal in a guitar cord. Most parts of a PA require a line level signal. Remember, however, that speaker outputs are not line level. Plugging speaker outs into line ins will result in damage to the equipment In Short For "in the circuit," in other words "active." Calista C1-9 Home Theater Distorted The way your PA sounds just before it blows up. Fuzzy and scratchy. If you hear this, it either means you have something hooked up wrong, or something in the system is going bad. It could be anything from your super expensive soundboard to a five dollar patch cord. Group Master A slide control used to send out a control voltage to several VCA faders in individual channels, thus controlling the gain of several channels. Calista C3-S Security System Flat 1) Lower in mus...

A term with the same meaning as the term Reverberant Field (the area away from the sound source where the reverberation is louder than the direct sound). Level The amount of signal strength; the amplitude, especially the average amplitude. Calista C3-S Security System Horn 1) The part of the speaker that emits midrange and higher range frequencies. 2) A speaker or speaker enclosure where sound waves are put into a narrow opening (by a speaker cone or driver) and the narrow opening flairs out to a larger opening. Input/Output Module A set of controls, on one housing, for an in-line console that has two channels (one for recording and one for monitoring) and has controls for all console sections. Calista C2-88 Projector Feedback Control The control on a delay line or delay effects device that controls the amount of feedback. Echo Return An input of the console, which brings back the echo (reverberation) signal from the echo chamber or other echo effects ...

1) The lower range of audio frequencies up to approximately 250 Hz. 2) Short for Bass Guitar. 3) Lower end of the musical scale. In acoustics, the range (below about 200 Hz) in which there are difficulties, principally in the reproduction of sound, due to the large wavelengths involved. 4) The lower frequencies. 5) On the soundboard this should refer to the bass guitar channel, not the bass drum. 6) The lowest frequencies of sound. Bi-Amplification uses an electronic crossover or line-level amplifiers for the high and low frequency loudspeaker drivers. Keying Input (Key Input) An input on a dynamics processing device to control the device by an external audio signal. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Level Sets output volume of individual PA input channels. Usually positioned as sliders at the bottom of the soundboard. CD (Compact Disc) : 1) Digital sound storage medium. Provides a high quality source of music, sound effects etc. Also used as a playback medium for...

The bits in the digital signal that make up actual values or commands being communicated as opposed to bits that are used for checking & correcting data or other purposes. Layering The recording (or playing) of a musical part with of several similar sound patches playing simultaneous. Calista C3-S Security System Attack The rate the sound begins and increases in volume. Crossover 1) A route leading from one side of the stage to the other, out of the audiences view. 2) An electronic filter in a sound system that routes sound of the correct frequency to the correct part of the speaker system. Different speakers handle high frequencies (tweeters) and low frequencies (woofers). Sometimes known as a crossover network. An active crossover splits the signal from the mixing desk into high, mid and low frequencies which are then sent to three separate amplifiers. 3) An electrical circuit that divides a full bandwidth signal into the desired frequency bands for the lo...

The smallest particle which makes up a specific substance. It's composed of a center around which electrons revolve. Hall Program A setting of a digital delay/reverb effects unit that approximates concert halls. Hall programs are characterized by pre-delay of up to 25 ms. Calista C3-S Security System Byte A grouping of eight information bits. Frequency Shift Key / FSK The full name for FSK (A simple clock signal that can be used to run a sequencer in time with an audio tape). Calista C2-88 Projector Bi-Directional Pattern A microphone pick up pattern which has maximum pick up directly in front and directly in back of the diaphragm and least pick up at the sides. Attack The rate the sound begins and increases in volume. Fade 1) A gradual reduction of the level of the audio signal. 2) A gradual change of level from one pre-set level to another. Bose Comb Filter 1) The frequency response achieved by mixing a direct signal with a delayed si...

Practically speaking, high frequency means high pitch and low frequency means low pitch. Infinite Repeat A function on some delay lines that establish enough feedback so that the repeat echo will last forever, but not so much as to cause a howling sound. Calista C2-88 Projector Line Level 1) An amplified signal level put out by an amplifier and used as the normal level that runs through the interconnecting cables in a control room. 2) A low level signal such as the signal in a guitar cord. Most parts of a PA require a line level signal. Remember, however, that speaker outputs are not line level. Plugging speaker outs into line ins will result in damage to the equipment Insulator A substance such as glass, air, plastic, etc., that will (for all practical purposes) not conduct electricity. Calista C3-S Security System A/D An abbreviation of Analog to Digital Conversion (the conversion of a quantity that has continuous changes into numbers that approximate thos...

1) A slang term with the same meaning as the term IC (a miniature circuit of many components that is in small, sealed housing with prongs to connect it into equipment). 2) The thread cut away from the master lacquer to make the groove, while disc recording. Balanced 1) Having a pleasing amount of low frequencies compared to mid-range frequencies and high frequencies. 2) Having a pleasing mixture of the various instrument levels in an audio recording. 3) Having a fairly equal level in each of the stereo channels. 4) A method of interconnecting electronic gear using three-conductor cables. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Electrostatic Charge The excess or deficiency of electrons in a given area. Field 1) In video, one half of a frame. 2) In computer-controlled devices a window display with functions and choices that the operator can make Calista C2-88 Projector Gain Structure The way in which the gain varies in the stages or sections of an audio system. Jam Sy...

A trademark of Alesis Corporation designating its modular digital multitrack recording system released in early 1993. Balanced input/output A "balanced" connection is one that has three wires to move the signal. One is a ground, and the other two (called conductors) carry signals of equal value. This is why they are called balanced. Low Z cables and connections are the most common example. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Input/Output Module A set of controls, on one housing, for an in-line console that has two channels (one for recording and one for monitoring) and has controls for all console sections. Jack 1) Anywhere you plug something in. 2) Segmented audio connector. Mono Jacks have two connections �" tip and sleeve, and are unbalanced. Stereo jacks have three connections �" tip, ring and sleeve. B-type jacks (also known as Bantam jacks) were originally designed for use in telephone exchanges and provide a high quality (and expensive) connection...

Sending too high of a signal level into a device so that the first amplifier of the device overloads. Fletcher Munson Effect A hearing limitation shown by Fletcher Munson Equal Loudness Contours (as music is lowered in volume, it is much more difficult to hear bass frequencies and somewhat harder to hear very high frequencies). Calista C2-88 Projector Linear The condition of obtaining a change at the output of the device which is proportional to the change occurring at the input. Impedance Matching Having or converting the output impedance of a device so that it matches the impedance of the input it will feed. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Headroom 1) The level difference (in dB) between normal operating level and clipping level in an amplifier or audio device. 2) A similar level difference between normal tape operating level and the level where the distortion would be 3%. 3) The difference, in decibels, between the peak and RMS levels in program material. ...

The letters A, D, S &R are the first letters of: Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release. These are the various elements of volume changes in the sounding of a keyboard instrument. Headphones Devices that can be worn on the head with small speakers that fit over the ears (or sometimes into the ears). Calista C2-88 Projector Compact Disc Recordable CDR A blank Compact Disc that can be recorded on one time. Filter 1) A device that removes signals with frequencies above or below a certain point called the cut-off frequency. 2) An equalizer section, used in this sense because filters are used with other components to give an equalizer its frequency response characteristics. 3) The action of removing signals of some frequencies and leaving the rest. 4) A mechanical device to smooth out speed variations in tape machines called a Scrape Flutter Filter- more usually called a Scrape Flutter Idler Calista C3-S Security System Infinite Baffle A baffle so large that ...