Calista Home Theaters

1) To boost gain of audio at a particular band of frequencies with an equalizer. 2) An elevation device in the star trek series of TV programs. Central Processing Unit 1) The main "brain" chip of a computer that performs the calculations and execution of instructions. 2) The main housing of a computer that contains the "brain" chip as opposed to other pieces of the computer system such as keyboards, monitors, etc. Calista C2-88 Projector Echo 1) One distinct repeat of a sound because of the sound reflecting off a surface. 2) Loosely, used to mean reverberation (the continuing of a sound after the source stops emitting it, caused by many discrete echoes closely spaced in time). 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 Floppy Disk (Floppy Disc) A round flat object (usually housed in a protectiv...

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. Absorption Short for the term Acoustical Absorption (quality of a surface or substance to take in, not reflect, a sound wave). Calista C3-S Security System Ground Loop A double grounding of a line or electronic device at two different "ground" points of differing voltage. Linear The condition of obtaining a change at the output of the device which is proportional to the change occurring at the input. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Input Monitor A switch position and operational mode of the electronics of a tape machine where the signal at output of the electronics will be the same as the signal coming into the electronics. In this mode, the tape machine...

A term meaning the same thing as the term Measure (the grouping of a number of beats in music, most-often four beats). Intermodulation Distortion Distortion caused by one signal beating with another signal and producing frequencies that are both the sum and the difference of the original frequencies. Calista C2-88 Projector I/O Short for "Input/Output' and referring to: 1) An in-line console module that contains controls for the input section, output section and monitor section. 2) A module in electronic gear containing input and output amplifiers for the device. 3) A digital port (connector) able to both receive digital data and output digital data. Layering The recording (or playing) of a musical part with of several similar sound patches playing simultaneous. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Attack The rate the sound begins and increases in volume. Isolation Booth/ Isolation Room A room that prevents loud sounds from other instruments from lea...

The large toms to the right of the drummer. Acoustic Echo Chamber A room designed with very hard, non-parallel surfaces and equipped with a speaker and microphone; dry signals from the console are fed to the speaker and the microphone will have a reverberation of these signals that can be mixed in with the dry signals at the console. Calista C2-88 Projector Key The control of a dynamics processing 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 C3-S Security System CPU Abbreviation of Central Processing Unit (The main "brain" chip of a computer or the main housing of a computer that contains the "brain" chip). Distortion Usually undesirable result of overloading sound equipment. Reducing the levels can remedy the situation. Guitar Controller An electric guitar or device played like an electric guitar that...

The bass frequencies (as in "needs more bottom end"). Cut-off Rate (Slope) The number of dB that a filter reduces the signal for each octave its frequency past the filter's cut-off frequency (outside of the pass band). Calista C1-9 Home Theater Attenuation A making smaller: reduction of electrical or acoustic signal strength. 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. Calista C2-88 Projector Active Crossover Uses active devices (transistors, IC's, tubes) and some form of power supply to operate. Line 1) Short for line level. 2) A cable. Buss (Bus) A wire carrying signals to some place, usually fed from several sources. Bose Howlback British term for the term Feedback (the pickup of the signal out of a channel by the input of the channel or the howling sound that this produces).

The unit of current, abbreviated Amp. Equipment Rack A cabinet with rails (or free standing rails) that have holes to accept screws at standard spaces and used to house outboard gear. Calista C3-S Security System Assistant Engineer A less elevated version of the term Second Engineer. Experienced seconds often place microphones, operate tape machines, break down equipment at the session end and keep the paperwork for the session. Ground Loop A double grounding of a line or electronic device at two different "ground" points of differing voltage. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Error Correct Exact replacement of lost information bits in digital audio. 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 i...

The squaring of the waveform that happens in the conversion of digital audio bits into analog signals. Input Monitor A switch position and operational mode of the electronics of a tape machine where the signal at output of the electronics will be the same as the signal coming into the electronics. In this mode, the tape machine's meter will read the input signal. Calista C1-9 Home Theater Equalization 1) The process of adjusting the tonal quality of a sound. A graphic equalizer provides adjustment for a wide range of frequency bands, and is normally inserted in the signal path after the mixing desk, before the amplifier. See Feedback. 2) Any time the amplitude of audio signals at specific set of frequencies are increased or decreased more than the signals at other audio frequencies. Amplifier A device which increases the amplitude (level) of an electrical signal (making it louder). Calista C2-88 Projector Absorption Short for the term Acoustical Absorpti...